2nd NDP candidate for federal riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo steps down

Dock Currie, the NDP candidate for the federal riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, announced Wednesday that he was asked to withdraw his candidacy for the federal election and has agreed to step down.

Currie announced his candidacy last week after Gina Myhill-Jones, a community support worker and resident of 100 Mile House, pulled herself out of the race at the beginning of August. 

In a statement, Currie said the decision was related to comments he made on social media two years ago while he was a graduate student.

"The comments I made then were flippant and aggressive and do not reflect who I am today, nor do I stand by them in the form in which they were made, and I understand completely that they would be an unnecessary and unwarranted distraction from the vital message and campaign of the NDP across the country," said Currie in his statement.

But he also said he doesn't agree his past social media comments should affect his candidacy today.

"I want also to make clear that while I regret and apologize for the comments I made to two pro-pipeline activists two years ago and understand how they would be a needless distraction to the party and national campaign, I, nonetheless, disagree with both the content and process of the decision that prevents me from championing these policies that I deeply and passionately believe in."

'High standards'

The party has "high standards" when it comes to choosing candidates, Glen Sanford, the B.C. director of the federal NDP, told Daybreak Kamloops' Jenifer Norwell. 

"[Currie] had unfortunately engaged in some inappropriate social media activity that I think he agreed with us would be a distraction to the campaign," said Sanford.

"Some information did come to light after after his vetting was approved, and we talked with him about it and he agreed to step down."

Sanford described the post in question as being "a little aggressive."

"I think that social media has created an interesting political environment and that one of the things that's really true is that people often say at some point in their lives things that they might regret later on," he said.

"We're going to have a very busy couple of days while we get a candidate for this election, and so obviously it's not an ideal situation, but I think that by the time people vote ... we'll be out there with a strong candidate."