The Conservatives Just Fired A Candidate Who Said LGBTQ People Recruit Children

With the Canadian federal election just around the corner, the Conservative Party has made a shocking decision. Conservative Heather Leung, of Burnaby, has been fired due to transphobic and anti-LGBTQ comments she has made in the past. 

In a video that surfaced on the evening of October 4, Leung is seen saying that the next generation is in trouble because of "these homosexual people" saying that they are recruiting school children "into their camp." 

Multiple videos have since surfaced, showing Leung making various other homophobic and transphobic comments. In another video, Leung called the LGBTQ sexual preferences and gender fluidity "perverted." 

The videos and comments were called out by Leung's opponent in the Burnaby North-Seymour riding, Svend Robinson. Robinson, who is running for the NDP in that riding, became the first openly gay MP over thirty years ago, after coming out while in office. 

According to CTV, Robinson called on Andrew Scheer to fire Leung. He said, "I am today calling on Andrew Scheer as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada to show leadership. To recognize that this candidate in Burnaby North-Seymour should be fired as a candidate. In fact, she should be thrown out of the Conservative party." 

In a statement posted to their website on October 4, the Conservative Party officially announced that they had dropped Leung as a candidate, saying, "Heather Leung is no longer representing the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Burnaby North-Seymour." 

The statement went on to say, "recent media reports have brought to light offensive comments made by Ms. Leung saying ‘homosexuals recruit’ children and describing the sexual orientation of the LGBTQ community as ‘perverted.’ There is no tolerance in the Conservative Party for those types of offensive comments." 

This isn't the first time Leung has been in the spotlight during this campaign. She also drew criticism after a Facebook page from her campaign posted an altered photo of Rick Mercer which suggested he was telling people to "Vote Conservative." 

Rick Mercer clapped back at the photo on Twitter, telling people it was "straight-up fake." 

However, while Leung has officially been dropped by the Conservative Party it's technically too late in the election process to be making major changes like this. 

It is too late for Leung to be removed from the ballot completely, meaning she is still running in the Burnaby-North Seymour riding, but if she wins it will be as an independent. However, the ballot may still say Conservative as its possible they have already been printed. 

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