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Bill Jarvis, Wildrose Candidate, Booted From Party After Racist Comment Captured On Camera (VIDEO)

'We Need Lots Of Brown People In The Front': Wildrose Candidate

This is the last thing the Wildrose Party needs — on a night of celebration and renewal, things turned sour as a stage microphone picked up an offensive comment by Bill Jarvis, a now-former candidate for the party.

The words were overheard Saturday night as Wildrose candidates filed onto a stage at the Calgary Sheraton Cavalier Hotel, only minutes before newly appointed leader Brian Jean took the podium to promote the party (after Danielle Smith left post-defeat).

Jarvis, ex-Wildrose candidate for Calgary-South East, said "We need lots of brown people in the front" on a live microphone. He smiles wide while making the comment.

"You know the mic’s on, right?" asked another member, to which Jarvis replied, "Is the mic on? Ah, OK."

New Wildrose leader Jean asked for Jarvis' resignation almost immediately after the incident.

"The comment was disrespectful, and while I accept that Mr. Jarvis did not intend to insult, I will not accept inappropriate statements that fail to show respect for all Albertans," said Jean in a statement.

Jarvis was quick to apologize in a statement issued on Sunday.

"I recognize that my comments might have caused offence. That was certainly not my intent," said Jarvis. "I have apologized to my friend Calgary-Fort candidate Jeevan Mangat and I apologize to Brian Jean and all Wildrose candidates."

(Watch the footage in the video, above.)

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