Sask NDP drops 4 candidates, campaign manager in 3 days

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten announced Saturday morning the dismissal of two more candidates and his campaign manager.

“When I saw unacceptable social media posts from nominated candidates yesterday I was deeply disappointed. We signed up fifty-three enthusiastic brand new candidates and it is obvious there was a gap in the campaign’s vetting process specifically related to social media,” says Broten.

These are familiar remarks from Broten as a total of four candidates in three days have now been dismissed from the NDP ballot due to social media posts that ‘crossed a line’. Saskatoon-Northwest candidate Clayton Wilson was let go on Thursday and Weyburn-Big Muddy candidate Mark Jeworski on Friday.

In reaction to the social media scandal Broten asked his campaign team to do a social media check of all NDP candidates. To Broten’s disappointment the results weren’t clean.

“I informed Cameron Robock of Estevan and Terry Bell of Regina-Walsh Acres that they will not be on the ballot this election. I’ve also directed my campaign manager to step out of that role,” says Broten.

WATCH: Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall and NDP leader Cam Broten are both dealing with past discretions by candidates. Joel Senick explains why it seems to be hurting one party more than the other.

2:04 Decision Saskatchewan 2016: Past indiscretions become focus on Sask. campaign trail

Effective Saturday morning Broten’s chief of staff Linsay Martens will be replacing Frank Quennell as the new NDP campaign manager.

FULL COVERAGE: Decision Saskatchewan 2016

Marten’s first task will be to find four new candidates to fill the four recent vacancies.

The Saskatchewan Party’s Don McMorris says to his knowledge this sort of event is unprecedented.

“You know this is extraordinary, I’ve been involved in five elections in my career, this is the fifth and never have I seen anything like this,” says McMorris, “and five days in his party is in total disarray. Firing four candidates and the campaign manager really speaks to, I think, the leadership of Cam Broten.”

Cam Broten was back on the campaign trail Saturday afternoon making an announcement in Prince Albert. He’s pledging better education for First Nations and Métis children by closing the forty percent funding gap between provincial and First Nations schools.