CALGARY – A day after an Edmonton-based Wildrose candidate came under fire for controversial religious views, a Calgary-based candidate with the party found himself in the headlines for on-air comments suggesting his chances of victory were better than his non-white rivals.
“I think as a Caucasian I have an advantage,” Ron Leech told a radio station on the weekend. “When different community leaders such as a Sikh leader or a Muslim leader speak, they really speak to their own people in many ways. As a Caucasian, I believe that I can speak to all the community.”
Leech, a longtime pastor running in the multicultural riding of Calgary-Greenway, has previously been at the centre of controversy for some of his religious views against homosexuality and abortion.
On Tuesday at a Wildrose rally, Leech apologized for his radio comments, saying he meant to say that he has no disadvantage as a Caucasian candidate running in Greenway.
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“I apologize if something was said in the spur of the moment that may have misrepresented the community or myself,” he said. “As a leader in the community for 30 years, my leadership has involved over 48 different nations I’ve represented. I love all of the people, all the different cultural groups, all of the different faith and religious groups. I have real heart for the people and to serve in the community.”
Asked about Leech’s radio comment, Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith refused to condemn the remarks.
“I think every candidate puts forward their best argument for why they should be the person the way represent the community,” she said in Calgary. “I know Dr. Leech runs a private school that has a large number of people from cultural communities, he has an ethnically diverse riding, he’s made great friendships and inroads with leaders of different cultural communities there so I assume he was probably commenting on his own ability.”
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