Alberta Tory denied provincial nomination

An Alberta Tory whose website includes endorsements from the province's premier and Prime Minster Stephen Harperwill not be allowed to run as a Progressive Conservative in the next provincial election.

Having Craig Chandler stand in the provincial riding of Calgary-Egmont was "not in the best interests of the party," Progressive Conservative Premier Ed Stelmach said Saturday.

Chandler agreed to issue a public apology in January afterthe website ofa radio show he ran posted material offensive to gays. Hepublished comments from then Rev. Stephen Boissoin, who on Friday was found to have brokenAlberta's human rights laws with an anti-gay letter published in a Red Deer newspaper in 2002.

Shortly after Chandler won the nomination in mid-November, Stelmach said the party would review it.

Chandler, an active conservative who has worked inthe Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance and the Alberta PC party, unsuccessfully argued his case at theprovincial executive on Saturday.

He later said hemay run as anIndependent in the next election.

According to his website,on April 18 Stelmach said, "you have demonstrated your strength and ability in your many efforts," and the same day, Harper said, "you have demonstrated public spirit and a deep love of Canada through your devotion to so many worthy causes."

Before Saturday's decision, Mount Royal College political studies expertDuane Bratt suggested Stelmach faced a tough decision.By rejecting Chandler's candidacy, he would send a message about intolerance but offend Tories in Calgary-Egmont and alienate social conservatives.

But ifhe had ratified the nomination, it would give theLiberals andNDPammunition in the campaign.