Mark Carney says Edmonton candidate is ‘no longer’ in the race
The Liberal Party has removed a candidate in Alberta, adding to a growing list of nominees exiting the federal election race.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney told reporters in Montreal Friday that Rod Loyola, who was running in the newly formed riding of Edmonton Gateway, is “no longer a candidate.”
Carney did not elaborate on why Loyola, who was a long-time Alberta NDP MLA in the provincial legislature before he joined the Liberal camp, was ousted.
Carney’s confirmation comes after the National Post reported on Thursday that Loyola was one of the individuals in a 2009 video who can be heard praising Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Both have been designated as terrorist organizations by Canada.
Global News has reached out to the Liberals and to Loyola for confirmation, but has not yet received a response.
The second week of election campaigning has already seen several candidates resign or be removed.
On Monday, another Liberal candidate, Paul Chiang, announced he was stepping down as the nominee in the Markham-Unionville riding following comments he made in January that Conservative Joe Tay should be turned over to Chinese officials in return for a bounty.
Carney on Friday said that Chiang’s resignation was “the correct decision.”
Prior to that decision, Carney had said Chiang’s remarks were “deeply offensive” but that he “has my confidence.”
The Liberals have also removed other candidates over recent weeks. In January, the party confirmed Chandra Arya would no longer be the candidate in Nepean “that pursuant to section 4(c) of the National Leadership Rules.”
That section outlines when a candidate could be removed if they have “not satisfied the mandatory criteria of this Bylaw or has demonstrated (due to public statements, past improper conduct, a lack of commitment to democracy, or other reputational or legal jeopardy) that a prospective candidate is manifestly unfit for the office of Leader of the Party.”
The CBC reported on March 28 that Thomas Keeler, the candidate in Calgary Confederation, was removed “due to the candidate’s failure to disclose a 20-year-old domestic assault charge that was stayed six weeks after it was laid.”
Global News has not independently confirmed that but has asked the Liberal Party about the report.
TVA Nouvelles reported on March 31 that hours after participating in an interview with the Quebec broadcaster where he revealed that “in 2019, he pleaded guilty to impaired driving,” Liberal Trois Rivieres candidate Luc Galvani announced his withdrawal as candidate after talks with the party.
Global News has not independently confirmed those reports but has asked the Liberal Party about the former candidates.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party of Canada ousted four candidates from the race this week.
Three Tory candidates in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia were removed on Tuesday, while a fourth was booted late Wednesday.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was asked about the removals on Thursday, and said that their “vetting process is stronger than all the other parties.”
“That’s why we have a zero tolerance for anyone who acts unacceptably,” he said at a campaign stop in Kingston, Ont.
Earlier this week, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was asked about the controversies surrounding the Liberal and Conservative candidates.
He said so far, his party has not had any similar circumstances.
“If things arise, though, we will make the best decision for our country, for our democracy, and so we’ll be prepared to do that,” Singh told reporters in Edmonton Tuesday.
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