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He said he was notified five weeks ago that the party’s “rapid response team” had raised concerns about his pro-life activities at his Roman Catholic church, Divine Infant Parish. After still no word back several weeks later, he decided to voluntarily withdraw.

“They raised some concerns, but the way I looked at it was the choice was left to me,” he told Postmedia News.

Knutson said he could not commit to following Trudeau’s requirement that all future Liberal MPs vote pro-choice on bills and motions touching on abortion. “While I appreciate the general need for solidarity within caucus, I cannot abide by a requirement to vote against my personal conscience on this issue,” he wrote in a letter to supporters this week. “Furthermore, I believe that difficult issues such as balancing the rights of a woman to control her own body against respect for the unborn deserved to be discussed openly in Parliament without precondition.”

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Knutson is the first person to acknowledge dropping out of a Liberal nomination race because of Trudeau’s stance on abortion votes. Former Liberal MP Dan McTeague was reportedly considering a return to politics, but is openly anti-abortion.

Trudeau has insisted he will not bar anyone from the party for their views on abortion, but insists they vote pro-choice. Sitting MPs who are anti-abortion are the only exceptions.

The Liberal leader’s position has prompted applause from some corners and criticism from others.

Conservative MP Royal Galipeau has represented Ottawa-Orleans since 2006. While Bertschi represented the Liberals in the last federal election, Leslie is considered the favourite to win the nomination.