A controversial blog post has cost an Alta. Wildrose candidate dearly, causing him to be removed from his party. It all started when Russ Kuykendall posted on the Shotgun Blog, taking swipes at at Edmonton Mayor’s Pride Bunch scheduled at the St. Andrew Centre. The post read in part “I’m told that St. Andrew Roman Catholic Church is one of the most conservative parishes in the city. Evidently, whoever rented the hall on behalf of the event was not entirely forthcoming with the parish priest and administration as to what event would convene. Then, apparently anticipating (wanting?) trouble, the event organizers arranged for two uniformed members of the Edmonton Police Service to be posted at the entrance to the hall. The message that appears to be sent to Catholic Christians who don’t accept this ‘lifestyle’ as acceptable is that ‘equality’ means that gay activists can take their agenda not just to your front door but inside the door to places that are consecrated to the Catholic faith, with uniformed police officers (!) exercising state coercion to defend that right!”

A statement issued by Brian Jean, the Wildrose Leader, did not discuss the controversial blog post as the reason for the removal from consideration of the Alta. Wildrose candidate. Instead the statement simply said the party was looking for a replacement candidate. The statement read in part “We received back our vetting package on some of our candidates. Ideally, we would have more time to vet candidates but given the rushed election timelines we are doing our best. There were items that required my attention.”