The Green party has turfed its candidate in Newton-North Delta after complaints he made anti-Semitic comments on an online discussion forum in 2006.

John Shavluk won't be a candidate for the party in this federal election and a new candidate will be found for the riding, Green party leader Elizabeth May said in a statement Thursday.

"Respect for diversity is a fundamental principle of the Green party," she said. "We condemn anti-Semitism and our members work to encourage respectful dialogue, diversity, peace and cooperation."

Shavluk's comment referred to the World Trade Center as the "Jewish world bank headquarters" on the Internet forum Frostcloud.

"I communicated with John and thanked him for his work on behalf of the Green party but explained that he will not be a candidate because his views are not consistent with our philosophy," May said. "I will not sign his nomination papers and the Green party will nominate another candidate."

Shavluk, who would have contested the seat now held by Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, said his "Jewish world bank" phrase referred to views about the 9/11 terror attacks that are held by others, not himself.

(Shavluk's full post can be read here ).

He says he has been targeted by the Canadian Jewish Congress over his defence of an Ottawa doctor who championed the cause of Palestine within the Green party.

"I'm no anti-Semite," Shavluk told The Leader. "This is nothing but an attack because I stood up for a man who talked about Palestine having their own state."

He said the Green party knew of the Nov. 4, 2006 forum posting since May of 2007 and authorized his candidacy later that year after considering the issue.

Shavluk suspects the party was also under pressure to dump him because of his support for marijuana legalization and past involvement with the BC Marijuana Party.

He has a 1992 drug trafficking conviction that landed him in jail for two years for possession of eight grams of marijuana.

Shavluk maintains he was framed over his activism in support of Saskatchewan aboriginals.

He likens his experience to that of torture victim Maher Arar: "I feel an awful lot like Arar. When I was framed in 1992, I didn't see my kids for two years."

He alleges he has endured ongoing police persecution.

Shavluk said May has not called him directly.

"I believe they (Green party officials) bowed to pressure from not only from the police over the cannabis issue but the Canadian Jewish Conference or whatever else for supporting this Ottawa doctor for Palestine to have the same kind of rights as Israel."

He said Canada's drug laws are a legitimate issue that should be addressed by politicians.

"I'm tired of kids with Hummers and handguns running around because of willfully negligent politicians," he said.

Shavluk had listed Burns Bog and the Gateway program as his top local issues.

He had twice before unsuccessfully sought NDP nominations in this area.

It's not the first time May has pulled the plug on a local Green candidate.

Vancouver-Kingsway candidate Kevin Potvin was dropped last year over comments he published about 9/11.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to call a federal election on Sunday that would send voters to the polls on Oct. 14.