Gay candidate confused by Liberal leader's accusations of homophobia

A Saint Croixcandidatewho wasdropped by the Liberal Party for homophobic comments says he is perplexed by the decision becausehe is an openly gay man.

"I can't make this stuff up," John Gardner said Tuesday."It's too funny."

Just five days before his wedding in Saint Andrews, the 54-year-old was removed as a Liberal candidate,buthe quickly decided he would keep runningin Saint Croixriding.

"It's one of the best things that could've happened," he said.

It was too late to remove the party affiliation from the ballot, but Gardner said he'll sit as an Independent if he wins on Sept. 14.

Roland Michaudin Victoria-La Valleriding tooka similar approach after being dropped Monday as a Progressive Conservative candidate over derogatory comments about the LGBTQ community. Party leader Blaine Higgs said Michaud was withdrawing from the campaign, but the candidatesaid he would keep runningand would sit asan Independent if successful.

If the candidates had withdrawn from the election, any votes cast for them would have been considered spoiled.

In a Facebook post two years ago, Gardner said it was important to recognize everyone, not just minority groups,after the Village of Chipmanmade headlines for raising a straight pride flag.

On Tuesday, Gardner said the party has accusedhim of being homophobic and it also complainedof an offensivecomment he posted aboutJody Wilson-Raybould.

In another Facebook post this week, Gardner acknowledged his comments appeared to be homophobic but said they were "pointing out the way in which we all fight for our rights, and sometimes conflict with what others consider to be their rights."

Gardnersaid he's confident he has a chance in Saint Croix and will continue to campaign on issues related to rural health care and year-round transportation for Campobello Island.

Gardner said he doesn't regret his post about the straight-pride flag in Chipmanbecause he believeseveryone should feel included. He flies a Pride flag outside his bed-and-breakfast business, he said.

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Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers said he isaware of Gardner's sexual orientation but suggested some of hisother posts,related to women and the francophone community, were alsotroubling.

"It was the totality and the frequency of those types of posts that concerned us enough that the values of the Liberal Party would not be well-represented with this individual," Vickers said Tuesday.

Former PC candidate apologizes for post

In a Facebook video, former PC candidateRolandMichaud apologized forrepostingameme encouraging violence against transgender people in 2018.

"I made a mistake and I apologize for that," Michaudsaid.

ButMichaud put out a plea to votersin Victoria-La Valle, saying he wants to make a difference in Fredericton.

"It probably won't be my last mistake but I guarantee you it will be the last time that type of mistake happens," he said.

In a news release, Marcel Michaud, president of thePC riding association in Victoria-La Valle, saidhewillcontinue to back Michaud as "anindependent Progressive Conservative," whom he described as "dedicated to improving the lives of residents."

In the statement, Michaud, who is not related to candidateMichaud,said the association wouldn't judge someone for making a mistake several years ago.

"No one is perfect."

Nicolle Carlin, spokesperson for the provincial PC party,said riding associations are independent bodies.

"The riding association can support Mr. Michaud as an independent candidate if the executive chooses to do so," she said in an email to CBC News.

"As party leader, Premier Higgs has decided that Mr. Michaud will not run as the Progressive Conservative candidate and he stands by that decision."

Paul Harpelle, a spokesperson for Elections New Brunswick, said candidates whoare scrubbed from a party slate but who don'twithdraw from the campaign,cannot change their status to an independent candidate. People can still vote for them, however.

"The candidates cannot change their official status, even if they tell the media and the public they are running as an independent," Harpelle said.

Under the Political Process Financing Act, Harpelle said, any votes received for a candidate registered with a political partywould be counted for the party in the calculation of the annual allowance.

If either Gardner or Michaud were to win in their ridings, the rules get even more complicated.

"It becomes an issue between the party and candidate on who they will represent, if victorious," Harpelle said.

More than 29,000 vote in advancepolls Tuesday

Elections New Brunswick saw more than29,000 voted inadvance polls as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. In 2018, close to 16,500 people voted during the same period.

"We caution people not to read too much into the numbers," said Paul Harpelle, spokesperson for Elections New Brunswick.

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"We hope it reflects on our efforts to flatten the election curve by voting early."

The running total so far for both Saturday and Tuesdayis just under 92,000 votes.

Greens would makechief medical officer independent ofgovernment

Green Party Leader David Coon says the chief medical officer of health should be independent from government, as the position is in British Columbia.

This would allow New Brunswick's top doctor to make reports and recommendations on issues that affect the health of residents without having to go through a political filter.

In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Higgs and Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical healthofficer, made daily announcements to the public about the outbreak and how New Brunswickers could protect themselves.

"A Green government would ensure that the chief medical officer of health is truly independent," Coon said.

He said he would consult the chief medical officer of health and other public health experts to see how they would improve the Public Health Act.

He also wants Public Health employees scattered in recent years throughout government toreturn to the Department of Health or a public health branch to ensure the department has the "people power they need," particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"They lack the capacity and depth they once had," he said.

People's Alliance to help cover training costs for volunteer firefighters

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin has pledged to help volunteer fire departments bycovering a portion of those training costs.

Austin said his party would also work with emergency training companies to provide a streamlined online training program that would allow volunteer firefighters to study in their spare time.

"We want to help these brave volunteers by giving them support whenever possible," Austin saidin Riverview.

"Most volunteerfire departments receive inadequate funding for training and equipment."

NDPfavours cultural sensitivity campaigns

NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomasonblamed the recent removal of Liberal and PC candidates on Premier Blaine Higgs's decision to call a snap election.

"If you plan on gambling with the future of the province, you had best be prepared for unpleasant surprises along the way," he said.

Higgs and Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers were so desperate for a full slate of candidates, Thomason said, that"they didn't consider all of the ramifications of their ill-advised decision of forcing an election on New Brunswickers."

While he's pleased the two candidates were dropped from their respective parties, Thomason is troubled by the transphobia and homophobia that still exist inNew Brunswick.

"This points to a rather obvious conclusion that racism, sexism, trans and homophobia are very much still present in New Brunswick," he said.

"We should be investing in cultural sensitivity and awareness campaigns so we can work towards eliminating these regressive and hateful comments."

Where the leaders are today

Little campaigning is planned for the day as the five party leaders prepare for CBC News and Radio-Canada forums in Moncton on Wednesday night.

The 90-minute CBCforum,called Leaders on the Record, will start at 6 p.m. and feature leader responses toquestions from voters and journalists. It can be watched on CBC Television, on this website, and on CBC New Brunswick's Facebook page.

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin also takepart in aforum with Chambers of Commerce organizations.

Standings at dissolution:PCs 20, Liberals 20, Greens, 3, People's Alliance 3, Independent 1, vacancies 2

For complete coverage|Links to all New Brunswick votes 2020 stories