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The Conservative Party has made headlines again by removing a candidate from its list of nominees in Quebec, marking the second such dismissal on the same day.
Stefan Marquis, a hopeful representative for the Tories in the Laurier – Sainte-Marie riding, shared via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been informed Tuesday morning by a party operations manager that he would no longer serve as the Conservative candidate. Marquis stated he was told that certain individuals within the party reviewed his recent social media activity and determined it to be grounds for ending their political association.
While Marquis did not specify which posts were problematic, he expressed disappointment with the party’s decision, lamenting that they had distanced themselves from a “dedicated ally” in a challenging political context.
Historically, the Laurier – Sainte-Marie riding has been a stronghold for other parties since its establishment in 1987, largely oscillating between the Bloc Quebecois and the Liberals. The New Democratic Party (NDP) held the seat from 2011 to 2019, a period marked by significant electoral success known as the “orange crush.” Additionally, the riding was previously represented by Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe from 1993 until 2011.
Currently, the Liberal Party’s Steven Guilbeault occupies the position, having served as environment minister under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and later appointed to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet shortly before the election was announced.
Marquis further criticized the Conservative Party for not honoring his perspective, indicating that he felt punished for expressing himself on social media. He remarked on the implications of sharing an unvetted post online, highlighting a troubling trend in Canadian politics about freedom of expression and accountability.
Efforts to reach the Conservative Party for additional insights have not yielded a response as of the publication time. Marquis’ ousting reflects a larger trend within the party this election cycle, one that includes the recent removal of Mark McKenzie from his candidacy in Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore due to past comments made during a comedy podcast, in which he suggested extreme reactions towards Prime Minister Trudeau.
In an interview, McKenzie described his contentious remarks as “all a joke” and expressed regret over them, noting they were taken out of context, although he accepted that they were in “poor taste.” This controversy arose just a day after Liberal candidate Paul Chiang stepped down due to his own inflammatory statements regarding potential actions against a fellow colleague.
At a recent campaign event in Edmonton, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was queried about the ongoing controversies affecting both Liberal and Conservative candidates. He remarked that his party had yet to encounter similar issues but emphasized the importance of making responsible choices for the country and democracy if such situations do arise.
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globalnews.ca