Methinks much to Higgy's chagrin I manged to speak to Roland Michaud personally and liked the guy so it should be obvious why I hope he wins the seat as an Independent N'esy Pas?
A statement from Roland Michaud, the PC candidate for Victoria-La Vallée, and the party is expected Monday afternoon. (Roland Michaud 2020 for Victoria — La Vallée/Facebook)
Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said his party's candidate for Victoria-La Vallée, Roland Michaud, will withdraw from the race after the discovery of a meme on Facebook that encourages violence against transgender people.
"While I respect everyone's right to have their own personal views, I cannot endorse the promotion of messaging that is clearly sexist, offensive and hurtful to many people," Higgs said.
Higgs announced his decision at a press conference while campaigning in Saint John Monday afternoon. The party leader had said ealier in the day that he was unsure of Michaud's future with the party. Higgs said he expects the candidate to take down his campaign signs and he will not join the PC caucus if he wins the riding.
The post was on Michaud's page Monday morning, but by late morning the account had mostly been stripped, bearing only a cover photo promoting his candidacy and his date of birth.
This meme was posted on Michaud's Facebook page, but has since been removed. (Screenshot from Roland Michaud Facebook )
The New Brunswick Elections Act allows a candidate to withdraw as late as 48 hours before voting day by filing a declaration with the returning officer. However, the party may not select a replacement candidate, as the nomination deadline has passed.
In the event of a withdrawal, officials are expected to post notices at the polling station and inform voters when handing out ballots, according to the Act. All votes for Michaud would be considered spoiled ballots.
Ballots are already printed and as of Saturday, 63,000 New Brunswickers had already voted.
Polls suggested Victoria-La Vallée is a winnable riding for the Progressive Conservatives. The Liberals won it by only 358 votes in the 2018 provincial election.
Vetting process concerns
Higgs said Monday morning there is a vetting process for all new candidates and he's concerned the post was missed.
"If this is something that was posted for a while, how did it happen and why was it missed and what do we need to do about it?" he said.
Higgs said withdrawing a candidate places him in a vulnerable situation just a week away from election day. But he said he wants everyone to see a place for themselves within the PC Party.
"I'm trying to win a majority and clearly every seat counts," he said. "But I've never shied away from doing what is right, even if it hurts me politically."
'These things will never be repeated again'
Michaud posted a video apology on his Facebook account on Monday afternoon, asking the people of his riding for "forgiveness."
"I do realize that some of those memes that I posted could be harmful to you and I apologize," he said.
Michaud said his response was late because he wanted to speak to his friends from the LGBTQ community to offer personal apologies before addressing the issue publicly. He also apologized to Higgs and the PC party for "dragging them into this."
"I would like to say that elected or not these things will never be repeated again," he said. Higgs said during the announcement that he had not yet spoken with Michaud, but planned to call him shortly.
"It's a message that we send across the province that we have higher standards that we uphold and that we all must follow," Higgs said.
Disturbing memes
Other memes on Michaud's now-defunct account depicted sexualized women, posts from right-wing Facebook groups and his opposition to the federal government's passing of a firearms bill that included enhanced background checks and forced retailers to keep records of firearms sales.
Saint John Harbour Liberal candidate Alice McKim called on Higgs to let Michaud go. In a prepared statement, she said a candidate who ridicules the dignity of women and gay and trans people is a danger to a free and peaceful society and is "not fit for office."
Alice McKim, Liberal candidate for Saint John Harbour, called on the PCs to let Michaud go as a candidate. (Radio-Canada)
"This is a joke about a hate crime," McKim said. "Thankfully gender rights are protected under the New Brunswick Human Rights Act as well as Canada's Criminal Code."
McKim never referred to Michaud by his name in her statement, only as the PC candidate.
"We know degradation of this type increase the degraded to become victims of crimes. It increases the inhibitions of other to harm them, to harm us," said McKim, who is transgender.
Alexandre Silberman is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick based in Fredericton. He is a fourth-year journalism student at St. Thomas University. He can be reached at alexandre.silberman@cbc.ca
Methinks much to Higgy's chagrin I manged to speak to Roland Michaud personally and liked the guy so it should be obvious why I hope he wins the seat as an Independent N'esy Pas?
David Amos
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Methinks somebody should ask Higgy if the joke is oh so offensive then ain't it rather odd that its published here N'esy Pas?
David Amos
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Methinks the Saint Croix Liberal candidate John Gardner getting the boot is every bit as interesting but nobody can talk to the dude who has had his political opinions published in the local newsrag N'esy Pas?
Graham McCormack Hey CBC, why no separate story about the Liberal candidate that was dropped?
David Amos Hmmm
Mike Won Is he really suggesting a hate crime? Or is he suggesting that predators may abuse these laws to assault children?
George Thompson
Reply to @Mike Won: If you really need to ask that question, then maybe it's time to take a good hard look in the mirror!
Mike Won
Reply to @George Thompson: Hah, or maybe not everyone subscribes to the same extreme progressive view of the world that you do.
Donna Michaud
Reply to @Mike Won: The post can easily be taken out of context. If it flat out said "Transgender people are the devil," there would be no questioning it. I think in this context he was referring that men might use the transgender excuse to enter women's bathrooms and assault little girls. It was a common fear a few years ago when the debate on letting transgender people use the bathroom of their choice first came up.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Donna Michaud: It was not taken out of content at all, but its noble to defend your friend...
Andrew Stephenson
Reply to @Mike Won: No, it's that it's OK to punch people for using the wrong bathroom. No threat was implied in this tale. He just used the wrong bathroom according to Mr "tooth fairy"
Roy Kirk Good on Mr. Higgs for doing the right thing. This is yet one more reason why the unseemly rush to call a general election was unwise. It takes time to qualify a candidate. More time than was apparently available in this case.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Roy Kirk: Roland Michaud is still running for the PC he annouced it a few minutes ago.
Roy Kirk
Reply to @Marc Martin: So it's up to the voters to decide if he sits as an independent.
Roy Kirk
Reply to @Marc Martin: He may be able to stay in the race, but the riding association can pull its support, take down his PC signs, etc. And if he wins the seat, the PC caucus doesn't have to admit him.
Jos Allaire
Reply to @Roy Kirk: He won't get elected and wouldn't have been either way.
Roy Kirk
Reply to @Jos Allaire: I hope not, but polling in the riding has him in a dead heat with the liberal. One Hope's the good voters of the riding will withdraw their support of him.
Pauline Salomovich Clearly incarceration is a fitting punishment. 20 - 25 years ought to do it .
Teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget .
Donna Michaud
Reply to @Pauline Salomovich: Really?? So everyone who posts memes that can be taken out of context get sentenced to 20-25 years jail time? Most murderers don't even get that long a sentence. Come on.
Graeme Scott
Reply to @Pauline Salomovich: Seriously??? Where do you keep your torch and pitchfork? We'll keep you in mind next time we're getting together a lynch mob.
One of New Brunswick PC leader Blaine Higgs’ candidates is remaining silent about social media posts that promote transphobic, homophobic and sexist messages.
Roland Michaud, a local beekeeper turned PC candidate for Victoria — La Vallée, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from PressProgress about one post in particular that mocks physical violence against trans women.
The post features an image of a cartoon news anchor with the text “breaking news” across the top and the following text:
“A man followed a young girl into a Target bathroom in Texas saying he self-identified as a woman. The man’s teeth were knocked out by the girl’s father, who says he self-identifies as the tooth fairy.”
Michaud ignored questions from PressProgressseeking clarification about his own views on Target’s bathroom policy or offer an explanation why New Brunswick’s trans community should trust him to serve as a legislator.
The meme is in keeping with the tone of other posts on the PC candidate’s feed, which include memes from right-wing pages like “Canada Proud” sprinkled with crude homophobic jokes and crass sexualized memes about women.
Another meme posted by Michaud features a bikini-clad swimmer climbing onto a boat with the faint outline of a shark photoshopped into the background. “The five second rule,” the post states. “If you noticed the shark in the first five seconds you are probably gay.”
Roland Michaud (Facebook)
New Brunswick’s PC Party did not respond to questions from PressProgress about its candidate’s social media activity.
New Brunswick voters head to the polls on September 14, but Premier Blaine Higgs’ decision to call a surprise 28-day election during a pandemic raises the possibility some candidates for public office may face little to no scrutiny before election day.
On Sunday, a local all-candidates debate in the PC leaders’ riding of Quispamsis was cancelled after Higgs pulled out last minute.
“Hopefully next time we will have a little more time to organize rather than responding to a snap election,” the debate organizer told Higgs’ opponents.
Update: In response to this story, PC leader Blaine Higgs announced Monday afternoon that he has asked Roland Michaud to withdraw as the PC candidate in Victoria — La Vallée.
