The Liberal leader says the vetting process for candidates missed the controversial posts of former Saint Croix candidate John Gardner.
The party cut ties with Gardner on Monday after controversial social media posts came to light which were derogatory to women and the LGBTQ community.
Kevin Vickers said once the party became aware, they took the appropriate steps.
“As soon as we learned about it, we took the necessary action to make sure that he would not be representing the Liberal party in that riding,” Vickers said Tuesday during a media availability in Tracadie-Sheila.
The Liberal leader acknowledged a misstep with another candidate, Phil Comeau in Saint John East, who posted what Vickers called a “joke” in 2016.
Vickers says the post was quickly removed and Comeau apologized for it.
He said Comeau tried to be funny and it was the “absolute opposite”.
“He did something that unacceptable and does not align with the values of the party. I have been speaking with Mr. Comeau. [He made] an error in judgement and corrected it and immediately apologized for it. I’m confident we won’t see any repetition of those types of comments from him,” Vickers said.
Vickers was asked why Comeau can stay in the Liberal fold while Gardner was ousted.
He said Comeau’s post was quickly removed and he apologized while Gardner’s posts were a “pattern of behaviour”.
The Liberal leader doesn’t believe the party’s vetting process broke down.
“This is life. Things happen. We found out about it, we acted quickly. The right thing was done. The person in question the comments were unacceptable and we acted accordingly,” Vickers said.
Vickers said there will probably be further errors adding “we do our best in life, but sometimes things fall through the cracks”.
