Sabrina:

Thank you for reaching out. 

I have not been made aware of this letter previously and it is challenging for me to
comment on something that I haven't seen. I would kindly request that you send me a
copy of the letter and provide extra time to review the allegations therein as it is unfair to
expect a proper response on something I have not witnessed before.

With regards to your story, I was employed by Alvin Curling in his MPP office for a short
term contract when I was in university, over 20 years ago. I hold him in the highest
regard and while we have not spoken in many years except passing hello at events, I
have the world of respect for him (a photo was posted on my fb at the street named
after him, commending his incredible legacy and how proud I am to have worked for
him, while I was out campaigning for another BIPOC candidate, on my private account -
the account from which you have sourced your other stories, I would be happy to share
that if you are interested). Again, I do not know what the letter entails and cannot
comment on it without seeing it myself.

I continue to have significant concerns about the false allegations you are
reproducing repeatedly (regarding me discouraging potential black candidates) and your
continual out-of-context citation of my social media posts. 

Regarding my 2016 facebook post: To be clear, I acknowledge - and have

continuously expressed - that my 2016 post critical of BLM Toronto as an organization
disrupting 2016 Pride contained a flippant comment which was an inappropriate
generalization (regarding homophobia vs-a-vs black community) that was made as a
result of the raw emotion experienced within the queer community - of which I am a
part. I was transparent with you about that when you sought comments from me in
2020. This was a mistake that I have been, and continue to be, transparently and fully
prepared to apologize for.  

Regarding the one black potential candidate, [REDACTED], who made the
accusation of me discouraging him from running: Prior to the start of the OLP
nomination process, he reached out to me and we connected over the phone. I had not
met him in person and did not know his background. What I can recall is that I was clear
- as I have been with anyone seeking the nomination in Toronto Centre - that it is highly
competitive and would require significant resources and the ability to sign up at least a
thousand members. He never requested nomination paper for Toronto Centre.  I spoke
to literally dozens of people who have some interest in that nomination, but I do not
consider them nomination contestants until they declare by requesting nomination
paper.

When you contacted me months later about allegations from a black nomination
contestant, I sought additional information from you, including further details on sourcing
for these allegations and specifics, so I can properly respond. You did not do so.  This
was immediately after the completion of the Toronto Centre nomination which consisted
of two declared contestants who were black, neither of which I spoke to prior to the
completion of the contest, and I told you as such. In subsequent coverage, you inferred
I was lying when I was not originally provided with the proper information and context
necessary to defend myself. 

In addition, the timing with which you are producing these stories leads me to believe
that your sources are purposely providing you with information to undermine the
integrity of an executive council election for which any past history of mine has no
connection to.  They are taking a page from the Trump-Bolsonaro playbook, and I would
be disappointed if you as an accredited Queen's Park journalist would allow yourself to
be a vehicle of that.

Given:

 the potential gravity of the allegations in the letter you cited

 the fact that the letter is from two years ago, and the matter
has no current time
sensitivities
 that you are quite aware of how occupied I would be in the coming five days
discharge my roles for the OLP, for which these allegations are completely
unrelated to
 that I am actually commuting in the next 24 hours by air, and thus mostly not
reachable
 the very real, negative and traumatizing impacts your continual inaccurate
coverage have on my personal and professional life

I would respectfully requested that you:

 provide me with a copy of the letter from 2021 so I can properly respond, and
 allow me to respond to them properly next week, prior to publishing any stories
on this matter.

I think this is a reasonable request in the spirit of fair, unbias journalism.

[Email 2]:

Sabrina:

As I explained to you, I am commuting by air today. I literally left where I was staying at
4.30am,  just landed at an another Latin American airport, and connecting to a flight to
return to Toronto shortly. I should remind you that I am not a party staff.  I have devoted
more than 3/4 of my waking hours in the past week (while on vacation) discharging my
various duties for OLP.  The way you are demanding answers from, and printing false
information about me, a private citizen who is neither employed nor elected at Queen's
Park is nothing less than harassment.  
If you genuinely want to give fair coverage to this, I would be open to discuss via
telephone early next week. This letter you are asking about is exactly two years old
tomorrow. There is absolutely no time sensitivity for you to run the story this week. 

I will respond to your inquiry about my personal view on leadership convention

separately, as that is legitimately a question for this week.  

If you insist on running this story this week, then I have the following formal, on the
record response, which I request that you include in full. 

I have the deepest of respect and admiration for Alvin Curling, a former employer
of mine. Had his concerns been raised with me at any point in the last two
years, I would have reached out to him and addressed them directly. 
 The fact that this letter – which has never been provided to me and is two years
old – has been leaked to QP Observer three days before the AGM is a clear
and purposeful attempt by specific political players trying to discredit the
executive elections and the Party they claim to love and support.
 The letter was dated the same day [REDACTED] published an article in
Huffington post citing misleading allegations, made by him to you and reported
by you, as third party corroboration of those allegations. It is public knowledge
that [REDACTED] has sought multiple liberal and conservative nominations in
the past few years.
 For the last three years, I have repeatedly acknowledged and apologized for my
errors in judgement in making flippant comments in that one 2016 facebook
post, yet QP Observer continues to relentlessly repurpose stories about me -
for what ulterior purpose, I do not know. The reality is we have a very real and
important job to do this weekend and I am singularly focused on supporting the
1,500 liberals preparing to elect their executive council.  I can hardly afford the
time to pay heed to those seeking to undermine the integrity of an election for
which any past history of mine has no connection.
 Given that this letter is two year old, the matter has no time sensitivity, I question
your insistence on my response TODAY and printing the story this week, and
your continual effort in giving voice to various unnamed sources who are
sowing doubt in the integrity of the OLP executive election process. These
sources are taking a page from the Trump playbook in case they or their
preferred candidates are not be elected. By facilitating the publication of these
baseless allegations by nameless sources, you are acting as the FoxNewsof
Queen's Park. 

Milton Chan