Controversial comments made by Mark McKenzie has resulted in him no longer representing the Conservative party, in the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore.
The incident served as a poignant reminder about the consequences of posting opinions online.
“The new buzzword is, you know, dance as if nobody’s looking, but write emails and post online as if you have to defend it in a courtroom,” said political analyst Lydia Miljan.
She said that she encourages people to think twice before posting online. “Putting something in writing the internet is forever, right?” she said. “So you can’t just have, offhanded remarks. Sarcasm doesn’t work.”
There are consequences for making comments online, says Miljan, “it doesn’t matter if you’re running for office. It does impact your ability to get work.”
A comment posted my McKenzie in 2022 contributed to his removal from the Conservative Party in the upcoming election.
“He was over the top,” agreed Miljan. “But again, that’s what podcasters are like. They do things over the top to get attention, to get people to watch them. And in this case, it certainly harmed him.”
