The former mayor of View Royal says the Liberal Party of Canada has yanked his candidacy for the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding in the next federal election, over stalking and harassment allegations he calls “complete nonsense.”
David Screech, who had been acclaimed as the party’s candidate in the riding, posted a letter from the party’s national campaign co-chairs, who recommended that his status as “a qualified nomination contestant” be pulled after a review.
“Unfortunately, based on that recommendation, your status as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada has been revoked,” said the letter from Andrew Bevan on behalf of the co-chairs.
Screech, who announced his candidacy for the riding two weeks ago, said on Facebook that he was “stunned and angry” after waking up on Tuesday morning to find the letter in his email.
“The party had contacted me yesterday as they had an email from someone who claimed I had stalked them and harassed them,” said Screech.
“Anyone who knows me knows that these allegations are complete nonsense and were made in a malicious manner.”
Screech said he had a Zoom meeting with a party volunteer who was asked to look into an email sent to the party and “recommended my removal.”
In an interview with the Times Colonist, Screech said it was a man that he’d never met before who made the allegations to the Liberal Party.
“It certainly wasn’t anyone connected to the campaign,” said Screech.
He said when he talked to party officials on Monday, the party had not been able to contact the complainant “to corroborate what he claimed.”
Screech said he believes the allegations are connected to his past years as a municipal politician.
Screech, 64, served four terms as a councillor and eight years as View Royal’s mayor before his defeat in the last civic election.
“I think in 20 years in politics you are bound to make enemies,” said Screech. “But I would also expect the Liberal Party — especially when you look at the things people say about [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau on a daily basis that are just partisan, polarized and divisive politics, plain nasty and awful — I would think honestly that the Liberal party would take it with a grain of salt.”
He said it makes little sense, after a process that includes interviews and background checks, to revoke a candidacy on the basis of one email.
“It boggles the mind.” Screeh said.
“Honestly I think there’s something else at play I’m not aware of.”
The Liberal Party of Canada did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the sacking of Screech.
Screech said the Liberal Party representative who was looking into the complaint had also been “combing social media, and asked me why I made comments on somebody else’s post.
“We’re not talking anything controversial. … One of them was a comment I made about a new trailer park in Langford and he said: ‘Why would you get involved in this issue?’
“And I said because I have opinions on it. I think it’s a wonderful thing that’s happened and that’s what I do. It was all kind of ridiculous.”
Screech said he finds it hard “to be treated with such callous disregard by a party that you have supported your whole life, a party that made you jump through multiple hoops to be their candidate in the first place.”
Screech said he filed his nomination papers with the Liberal Party more than a year ago and will be asking for his $1,000 fee to be returned.
A federal election is set for Oct. 20, unless it’s called earlier.
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait was nominated as the federal NDP candidate in the riding in 2023, after New Democrat MP Randall Garrison announced he wouldn’t run again.
Tracy-lynn Foran is seeking the Conservative Party of Canada’s nomination for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke, but the party has not yet selected a candidate.
Screech owned and operated Gregg’s Furniture and Upholstery for more than 50 years before closing the business late last year to focus on federal politics.
Dr. Keith Martin, who represented the riding from 1993 to 2011, threw his support behind Screech this month, saying he would be an “outstanding MP” for the community.
