Liberals won't boot N.S. candidate over offensive posts

CTV National News: A pivotal debate The six federal leaders battled over political issues and personal views in a major debate shown across Canada. Joyce Napier reports.

TORONTO -- The Liberal Party is standing by a Nova Scotia candidate who apologized after a series of sexist and homophobic social media posts resurfaced.

The Toronto Sun reported Friday on a series of posts dating back to 2012 from Jaime Battiste, the candidate for the Nova Scotia riding of Sydney-Victoria.

Battiste has since made his Twitter account private. But in one tweet, according to the newspaper, Battiste wrote: “Cleaning, Folding, Cooking, Feeling like an Epic Fail that i havent found a woman who can stand me long enough to do this for me. #FML”

In another uncovered by the Sun, he wrote: “Why do I assume every skinny aboriginal girl is on crystal meth or pills? #toomuchaptn.”

Battiste also joked about watching men’s tennis, suggesting it sounds “exactly like gay porn…I’m told.”

A Liberal Party spokesperson told CTV News that the party will stand by Battiste.

“Yes, he has issued a formal apology for his past social media statements,” spokesperson Guy Gallant said.

On his Liberal candidate profile, Battiste is described as a law graduate from Dalhousie University and a member of Potlotek First Nation who cares about supporting families and growing the middle class.

The revelation comes after videos of Conservative candidate Heather Leung resurfaced in which she promotes conversion therapy, calls LGBTQ people “perverted” and suggests that LGBTQ people “recruit” children.

The Conservatives issued a statement late Friday confirming that the B.C. candidate would no longer represent the party.

“There is no tolerance in the Conservative Party for those types of offensive comments,” the Conservatives said in a statement.