N.B. Liberals part ways with candidate for St. Croix one week before election

HALIFAX -- One week before the New Brunswick election, the Liberal party has parted ways with one of their candidates.

In a statement issued late Monday evening, party leader Kevin Vickers said John Gardner will no longer be running under the Liberal banner in the riding of St. Croix.

“Previous comments made by Mr. Gardner on social media are offensive to both women and the LGBTQ2I+ community and not in keeping with the values of the New Brunswick Liberal Party,” said Vickers.

As a result of the comments, Vickers said the party would be “cutting ties” with the candidate.

“It is unfortunate the people of St. Croix will not have the choice to vote Liberal in this important election, but once the comments came to light we quickly informed the candidate we would be moving ahead without him,” said Vickers.

The announcement comes the same day that Blaine Higgs, the leader of the province’s Progressive Conservative party, announced he dropped Roland Michaud, the candidate in Victoria-La Vallee, after finding out that he had reposted a Facebook meme containing transphobic language.