OTTAWA – The Conservatives' pick to run in former MP Rona Ambrose's riding once referred to feminists as 'feminazis' -- something the 26 year old now says he regrets, but doubts will hurt his political chances.
In a Facebook post from 2009 commenting on the Guelph University's then-decision to close its women studies program, Dane Lloyd wrote: "I’ll probably get assassinated by the Feminazi's for saying that cutting this program is a good thing, saves a lot of wasted money on a useless program. Way to go Guelph way to be politically incorrect."
The federal candidate for the Sturgeon River-Parkland, Alta. riding, who was 18 at the time of the post, told CTV News it’s not something he’d say now.
"Sometimes you get in to emotionally charged debates and you say things that you regret and I would say that would not be a term I would use today," said Lloyd, who was out distributing lawn signs in the riding when CTV News caught up with him.
"I don’t think that’s going to affect me. People know my heart in this community, it’s just to express kindness to all people and to represent them honourably," he said.
The "feminazi" post was taken down on Tuesday.
Though, Lloyd did defend other comments he made on abortion, saying that’s one topic his views have not evolved on.
In a Facebook post from 2008 regarding abortion rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler being named to the Order of Canada, Lloyd said: "If fetus' are parasites in the mothers womb and she has a right to abort them because of their dependence, then you could argue young children could legally be left to die because of their dependence on mothers."
He said Tuesday that despite his pro-life "conviction," he said if elected, he would respect the party's decision not to reopen the debate.
"I know my supporters have a wide range of views on that subject, and I want to be as respectful to those people as I possibly can," he said.
The abortion post was also taken down on Tuesday.
Lloyd was nominated as the party’s candidate to run in the Oct. 23 byelection late last month. He beat out three hopefuls to take the candidacy: former Conservative leadership candidate Rick Peterson; Conservative Party organizer Jamie Mozeson, who Ambrose was backing; and Luke Inberg, a former pastor and Conservative staffer.
Before entering the race, Lloyd worked as a parliamentary adviser to Conservative MP Michael Cooper. He has previously worked for Conservative MP Ed Fast during his time as trade minister, and has interned for Jason Kenney. He is also an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.
"In Rona Ambrose's riding of all places," said NDP status of women critic Sheila Malcolmson about Lloyd’s social media posts.
She said that she thought the party had made progress under Ambrose’s leadership, and “to have the nominee chosen by Conservative membership be someone that has articulated such sexist and misogynist views is a big step backwards."
Malcolmson said that Lloyd's posts, coupled with Conservative leader Andrew Scheer naming anti-abortion MP Rachael Harder to be status of women critic, are part of a "disturbing trend."
"Unless he has completely distanced himself from that point of view and has put himself 100 per cent in the cause of moving towards supporting women, then I think those past posts are a real problem," she said.
-With files from CTV News’ Janet Dirks
