Mike Layton demands Elizabeth May stop using his dead father’s legacy to prop up the Green Party

Mike Layton, son of former NDP leader Jack Layton took to Twitter in response to Green Party leader Elizabeth May’s use of his father’s name to defend a Green Party candidate.

This tweet was written in response to May’s use of Jack Layton name to defend Pierre Nantel against allegations that he is a “Quebec separatist.”

Nantel is currently the incumbent for the Longueil-Saint-Hubert riding in Montreal, who has just switched allegiance from the NDP to the Greens. The incumbent stated on a radio interview discussing Quebec separatism: “ Let’s separate as fast as possible. But as long as we are here, let’s defend Quebec in the Canadian context.”

May, seemingly unaware of her own candidate’s position has contradicted this fact by claiming “He is not a separatist. He’s a strong Quebecer within the context of Canada”

The situation came to a head when May defended Nantal at a press conference in Kitchener, Ontario as reported by the Huffington Post.

“I find it appalling the way he’s being attacked. He was recruited to federal politics by Jack Layton. Jack Layton trusted him. I gather Mr. [NDP Leader Jagmeet] Singh doesn’t. But I’d also ask the New Democrats who they knew better?”

Mike Layton responded to the argument on Twitter:

May doubled down on her claims that Nantal was not a separatist on Twitter Saturday:

Elizabeth May and the Green Party have not yet responded.