From a Playboy-style shot of a curvy derriere in scanty panties to the rapster line “mackin’ on ladies,” three Liberal candidates are attracting the wrong kind of attention on social media.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne suggested would-be MPPs need to keep their inner Hugh Hefner and potentially controversial thoughts in line, particularly during the June 12 election campaign.

“Inappropriate comments, whatever party they come from, are inappropriate comments and they need to be dealt with,” Wynne said Tuesday after she was caught off guard by an NDP allegation a London West candidate went too far in his rap-style tweet about hitting on women.

“In the two instances I’m aware of, our candidates have apologized, they’ve retracted, taken down the posts and I’ve had the opportunity to talk to them and I know their apologies are sincere,” she added.

Wynne was referring to Facebook post from a Niagara West-Glanbrook candidate David Mossey, showing the picture of a woman in lingerie, and Nepean-Carleton candidate Jack Uppal, who posted a Facebook item saying women talk without thinking and men can’t multitask.

Both issued statements, with Mossey blaming “poor judgment” and Uppal saying he apologizes “unreservedly.”

The NDP complained about a February tweet from Nick Steinburg, who became the Liberal candidate in London West last week, a riding the New Democrats gained from the Liberals in an August byelection and are eager to hold.

Steinburg’s tweet read: “Oh that’s just my two-days-after-leg-day swagger. You know how we do. Cashin’ cheques. Mackin’ on ladies. And havin’ trouble with stairs.”

In his Twitter bio, Steinburg, a former constituency assistant to one-time energy minister Chris Bentley, describes himself as “Handsome. Charming. Brilliant. Modest.”

The internet-based Urban Dictionary defines “mackin’ ” as “to work it with a member of the opposite sex . . . to hit on, flirt with or seduce a female by using verbal or sometimes physical means of persuasion.”

Liberal campaign officials said the “leg day” was a harmless reference to a fitness rotation where legs are worked out.

“The Liberals are desperate and lowering their standards to backing (sic) candidates who comment on social media about harassing women,” the New Democrats charged in a statement.

In Ottawa, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Wynne “needs to give a more clear answer about why she keeps these candidates.”

A spokeswoman for Steinburg’s campaign said he closed the personal Twitter account two weeks ago and hasn’t received a phone call from Wynne like Uppal and Mossey.

“Nick doesn’t think that sexism or sexual harassment is humourous in any way,” said Julie Misener.

It was the New Democrats that went too far in this case, said Wynne spokeswoman Rebecca MacKenzie.

“It’s really cheap of the NDP,” she told the Star, accusing the third party of flagging the tweet to distract from bigger issues in the campaign. “Get into the 21st Century.”

MacKenzie said the Liberals screen candidates broadly, including checks for previous bankruptcies and criminal background, educational and employment history, discipline from professional organizations they have belonged to, previous academic misconduct, name changes, credit checks and more, similar to other parties.

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“It is lengthy and it is difficult,” she said, acknowledging “this is a new era of social media.”

Wynne said she doesn’t need to go further to discipline candidates who have stepped out of line.

“As the first female premier I’ve spent my life dealing with, from time to time, inappropriateness in society . . . the fact is there are comments that are made and should not be made. If there’s corrective action taken, that’s as it should be.”

She added that all parties need to be “more vigilant than 40 years ago” because of social media.

“Things go out into the universe much more quickly than days gone by.”

The Liberals aren’t the only party to feel the sting.

Last July, Progressive Conservative candidate Wayne Wettlaufer in Kitchener-Centre was criticized for a tweet taking shots at women.

“Is that why so many females vote Liberal? They get all their information from the Toronto Star (less informed). #onpoli”

That tweet was quickly retracted.

To illustrate that social media posts have a long shelf life, the Liberals’ MacKenzie offered an example from four years ago, before the last provincial election.

In 2010, the current Progressive Conservative candidate from Brampton West, Randeep Sandu, tweeted: “Life is all about asses. You’re either covering it. Laughing it off. Kicking it. Busting it. Trying to get a piece of it. Or behaving like one.”

With files from Robert Benzie

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