Conservative leadership hopeful Derek Sloan was in Fort Frances this week.
He held court with party faithful Wednesday night and again Thursday morning.
Despite being an underdog in the race, he’s confident about his chances.
“We’re getting a lot of support in the campaign trail. We’re getting good numbers of people coming out. Pretty much everyone that comes out to see me is supporting me. So that either means it’s only the people that like me are coming out, but a lot of times it seems like it’s a good cross-section of Conservatives in each town,” says Sloan.
Sloan is quick to note that he’s the only candidate to be making a full swing through northern Ontario.
He labelled his campaign as ‘Conservative Without Apology and makes no apology for his campaign style.
He’s been labelled anti-gay by the LGBTQ2S community for his opposition to a proposed federal bill to ban conversion therapy.
Sloan says he’s not afraid to touch on issues that may be controversial.
“I’m probably the least politically correct of all the candidates, and a lot of Canadians are getting sick of political correctness, said Conservatives notwithstanding. I think that a lot of people seem to like that.”
He also denies his stance on conversion therapy doesn’t make his anti-gay.
“Unfortunate we live in a time where if you say this is an example of political correctness, if you say anything counter to the certain narratives, you’re labelled as anti-gay or a racist or whatever. I don’t believe in those kinds of labels. I believe we have to talk about the facts.”
Sloan sees political correctness meaning, not worrying about the truth as much as worrying about not offending people.
Sloan also made stops in Kenora, Dryden, Atikokan and Thunder Bay.