Tory MP denies he slurred an NDP candidate

A Conservative MP from Saskatchewan says he denies calling a provincial NDP candidate a whore.

A reporter from Moose Jaw posted a month-old video online Thursday that shows Tom Lukiwski urging his supporters to help Saskatchewan Party legislature member Greg Lawrence in April’s provincial election.

Lukiwski is heard to say: “We’ve got to get Greg back elected. He’s too important of an MLA to let go down to an NDP whore just because of a bad boundary.”

A debate immediately emerged on Twitter as to whether he said “whore” or “horde,” meaning a large group or gang. Lukiwski said it was the latter. “At no point did I use any sort of profanity to describe the NDP,” he said in a statement.

Lukiwski added that he had reached out to the NDP candidate, Karen Purdy, to assure her of that.

The reporter, Mickey Djuric, said on her personal blog that she heard “whore” and quit her job

Let me be clear. If derogatory language had been used, any member of caucus would have already been removed.

at the Moose Jaw Times Herald because the paper refused to run her story.

“I’ve always upheld the belief that the public is the jury in such matters,” Djuric wrote.

The paper’s managing editor, Craig Slater, said the Times Herald didn’t run the story because, when they sought comment, Lukiwski said he used horde.

“Without 100 per cent confidence, knowing what exactly was said in the video, we erred on the side of caution,” he said.

Lawrence is running for re-election in the Moose Jaw-Wakamow constituency against Purdy, a nurse.

While Lawrence said he didn’t hear the comment at the time, he acknowledged it sounded like Lukiwski said whore.

“What I hear is what I think is a very inappropriate word,” Lawrence said.

“I think if Mr. Lukiwski meant to say that, it is totally unacceptable.”

Purdy said she believes Lukiwski used whore and she wants an apology.

“Horde in his statement doesn’t make any sense in the context he used it,” she said.

Federal interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose stood by Lukiwski.

“It is very difficult to determine what was said,” Ambrose said in a statement.

“Let me be clear. If derogatory language had been used, any member of caucus would have already been removed.”

Lukiwski was first elected as an MP in 2004.