Langley Libertarian Party of Canada candidate Alex Joehl is pulling out of the Langley-Aldergrove race in the federal election.
Joehl, who was listed on the party website as candidate, called his withdrawal “both the easiest and the hardest decision I’ve made in quite some time,” citing the challenge of gathering the necessary 100 signatures for eligible voters in a short time span, and contracting COVID-19.
“While the major political parties don’t bat an eye at this requirement [to have 100 registered voters sign nominating papers] , those in smaller parties often find themselves struggling to get it done, especially when it is a snap election that’s called and time becomes scarce,” Joehl commented.
“I am in no way disparaging the requirement of 100 signatures,” Joehl added.
“It is important that a candidate has the support of their constituency, and it’s a great way to begin a campaign – but it does take time, and unfortunately time is not on my side.”
On August 14, the day before Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau called the election, Joehl, who has not been vaccinated, said he tested positive for Covid-19 and was instructed to quarantine himself until August 24.
“And then I got sicker,” Joehl continued.
“The virus took me down a peg, and I did not start to recover from the symptoms until the tail-end of my mandated isolation. So even when the public health authority deemed me safe to return to public life, I was tired and lacked the energy needed to begin a campaign for Member of Parliament. And, after returning to work, I lacked the time needed as well.”
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Joehl added that he has run in five straight elections – 2017 (provincial), 2018 (mayor), 2019 (federal), 2020 (provincial) and 2021 (school trustee), “and I don’t want to burn out, because there are many more elections yet to come.”
He has considered endorsing another candidate, “but I still have work to do to decide who I will be voting for, if I will be voting at all.”
He asked Langley-Aldergrove voters not to “simply hold your nose and pick the lesser of two (or five?) evils in 2021.”
“Do your homework and decide which candidate you really support sending to Ottawa as your representative, and if you don’t find anyone worthy of that support, just stay home on Sept. 20.”
He thanked those who supported him this year, saying “I will not let you down again in the future.”
READ ALSO: Seniors a topic of Aldergrove’s election debate
On Twitter, Joehl has described himself as a “craft beer-loving, pop punk-listening, unemployed sports writer, who is active in the #liberty movement and manages a meat department in Langley.”
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