The CPC lost its fifth candidate, while the Lp experienced the resignation

This week, the Conservative Party lost its fifth candidate, while the Liberals experienced the resignation or dismissal of three individuals from their ranks.

On the afternoon of April 4, the Conservative Party announced the removal of Simon Payette, who was running for the Quebec riding of Berthier—Maskinongé, due to his inappropriate conduct. Earlier that day, during an interview with Le Nouvelliste, a Quebec newspaper, Payette stated that Liberal candidate Nathalie Provost "uses her cause to evoke pity.

" Provost, a survivor of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre and a prominent advocate for gun control, is campaigning in the Quebec riding of Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville. The Conservative Party declared Payette's behavior "completely inappropriate and unforgivable." A spokesperson for the campaign indicated to The Epoch Times that he would no longer be a candidate, although they did not elaborate on the specific actions that led to his dismissal.

Attempts to reach Payette for a comment were unsuccessful. He is the fifth Conservative candidate to be removed in a flurry of dismissals occurring this week. Payette's removal came shortly after the Liberal Party cut Rod Loyola from the race for the Alberta riding of Edmonton Gateway. This decision followed the resurfacing of comments he made about Hamas and Hezbollah during a 2009 rally in Edmonton, as reported by the National Post. In a video from April 6, 2009, Loyola, prior to performing songs with another demonstrator, stated that organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas "really are trying to stand up for their people." He characterized them as movements for national liberation rather than as terrorist organizations. The footage was released by Radical Citizen Media, which aims to document progressive social movements in Edmonton.

The rally's message was against Canada's involvement in Afghanistan and NATO's 60th anniversary. The Liberal Party confirmed Loyola's dismissal without giving a reason, stating simply that he was "no longer our candidate for Edmonton-Gateway." Originally from Chile and a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party since 2015, Loyola represented the Edmonton-Ellerslie district before resigning last month. In his statement, Loyola expressed that he would not apologize for his past remarks, asserting that they aimed to support oppressed groups and affirm their rights to peace, security, and sovereignty. He condemned the killing and terrorism carried out by any group, including Hamas, while criticizing Israel's response as collective punishment against an already oppressed population. Loyola shared a social media post discussing his vision for a peaceful and democratic Palestinian state, and he plans to run as an independent candidate in the same riding. Additional Liberal withdrawals occurred this week, with incumbent MP Paul Chiang stepping down from his campaign in Ontario's Markham-Unionville following backlash over comments suggesting that his rival, Conservative candidate Joe Tay, should be dealt with by China. This situation arose because Tay, a Canadian citizen, is among several pro-democracy activists sought by Hong Kong authorities. Chiang announced his resignation late on March 31, amid pressure from federal Conservative and NDP parties to withdraw him from the race. Although Liberal leader Mark Carney acknowledged Chiang's "terrible lapse in judgment," he urged that it was a chance for growth, and Chiang recognized his error. When asked on April 4 why the party parted ways with Loyola but not Chiang, Carney sidestepped a direct answer, affirming that Chiang's resignation was the right move and confirming that Loyola was no longer a candidate. Last month, the Liberals had already dismissed another candidate, Thomas Keeper, who was seeking to represent Calgary Confederation, over undisclosed information. Reports have indicated that Keeper had previously faced a 20-year-old domestic assault charge, which was stayed shortly after it was filed. The Liberal Party appointed Corey Hogan as Keeper's replacement. In conjunction with the Liberal dismissals, the Conservative Party also let four candidates go in the same week, including two from Ontario, one from Quebec, and another from British Columbia. Conservative candidate Mark McKenzie from Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore was dismissed on April 1 for comments supporting the death penalty made during a 2022 comedy podcast. The party deemed his remarks "clearly unacceptable." On the same day, Tory candidate Stefan Marquis for the Montreal riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie was informed of his removal due to unspecified posts he made on social media. The party has not commented on this decision. Additionally, Lourence Singh from Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville was dismissed, although the reasoning was not specified.

On April 2, Don Patel, running in Etobicoke North, was also removed for allegedly endorsing a social media comment that suggested certain individuals should be deported to India. The Conservative Party stated that endorsing such comments is "clearly unacceptable," reaffirming their commitment to the safety and security of Canadians. — Carolina Avendano