Facebook Alberta United Conservative party candidate Mark Smith is shown in a photo from his Facebook page.

EDMONTON — Alberta's NDP is calling on United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney to fire former education critic Mark Smith for offensive remarks — an accusation Smith disputes.

NDP candidate Sarah Hoffman says Kenney must cancel Smith's candidacy in the April 16 provincial election.

"Mark Smith's comments are offensive, homophobic and completely neglect women's rights," Hoffman said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"Jason Kenney must fire him immediately."

Discussed 'homosexual love,' abortion in 2013 sermon

Smith, a former high school teacher who is running for re-election in Drayton Valley-Devon, had served as the caucus education critic.

Earlier Tuesday, a snippet of audio surfaced on social media from a sermon he delivered in 2013 that was posted on the website of the Calvary Baptist Church in Drayton Valley.

On the recording, Smith is heard questioning how anyone who has an abortion could say it's done out of love.

He also discusses how TV programs try to convince people that love among homosexuals is "good love."

"Heck, there are even people out there, I could take you, I could take to you places on the website I'm sure, where you could find out that there's, where pedophilia is love," he said in the recording.