Let him speak his mind....but throw him out of the party...

I'm glad he's out of the Alberta Conservative Party --- but I think he should be allowed to say what he thinks...

An ugly internal dispute over sex, religion and violence erupted within the Alberta Conservative party Saturday, ending up with a candidate being ousted and Premier Ed Stelmach saying the reasons for the "difficult" decision must remain confidential.

Stelmach presided over a private meeting of his party's 40-member executive committee, which voted not to endorse the nomination of a candidate who founded a group linked to an anti-gay letter.

Stelmach emerged from the closed-door session to announce that Craig Chandler's nomination in Calgary-Egmont was "not in the best interests of the party."

"I have always been a strong believer in human rights," said the premier.

However, he said the party's constitution prohibits him from discussing the details of what was said at the meeting or divulging the vote results.

"My responsibility is to uphold the constitution of the party and make a decision that's in the best interests of the party."

Chandler, 37, was incensed by the decision and said he's quitting the party and may run against the Tories in the next provincial election, expected sometime in the new year.

"I'm not going to belong to a party that doesn't want me," Chandler said moments after being handed a brief handwritten note by a party official.

"I would consider running as an independent. I would consider other options as well."

A member of a Christian group headed by Chandler wrote a letter several years ago entitled "Homosexual Agenda Wicked," which suggested gays were as immoral as pedophiles, drug dealers and pimps.

The Canadian Human Rights Commission had Chandler agree last January to post a letter of apology on his website.