NDP Candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh Cheryl Hardcastle has apologized after a recording surfaced of her calling residents "stupid."
The recording of the private conversation was made after Hardcastle lost the Tecumseh mayoral race in 2014. The recording was of a phone conversation with the third candidate running in the 2014 Tecumseh mayoral race, Antonello DiMillo who went by Tony. In the phone call, Hardcastle discusses the shock of losing.
"I got the shit kicked out of me with this. I did not...I mean I knew there were risks when I ran but the shock of this I cannot believe there are so many stupid people in this town," Hardcastle said in the recording.
The following is a video uploaded to YouTube in 2015. It includes an edited version of the phone call. There is also a link that provides a longer version of the call.
https://youtu.be/XZ2Ul5UoEYQ
Hardcastle said it was an emotional time and all she can do is apologize.
"I respect every voter. I respect the process and all I can say is I said things that are not true because I was emotional," said Hardcastle. "I can't explain that away. I have to deeply apologize, unequivocally apologize."
Hardcastle said she was unaware that the conversation was being recorded. According to Hardcastle, DiMillo also claimed he was unaware of the recording and he does not know how it ended up online.
"I have to move forward from that. I'm deeply sorry and I keep focusing on community service and that's how I got myself through that to this point," said Hardcastle.