Same Sex Laws Update November 27 2003

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian Alliance MP Larry Spencer has been fired as the party's family issues critic. Alliance leader Stephen Harper says Spencer's comments on homosexuality were totally unacceptable and do not reflect the party's stance on gays.

"I think it's quite clear that his positions are not acceptable in this party. That's clear," Harper told reporters.

"Larry indicated to me that he understands that and that he severely regrets these comments. He will be issuing a full and complete retraction," Harper added. "And he has also offered to voluntarily withdraw himself from caucus temporarily."

The decision came after publication of a Vancouver Sun interview with Spencer, in which the Saskatchewan MP said he would support any initiative to outlaw homosexuality.

Spencer, a U.S.-born former Baptist pastor, said he believed that because of the gay rights movement, there will soon be strong pushes to legalize polygamy and pedophilia.

He said a "well-orchestrated'' conspiracy has led to recent successes in gay rights. The movement's progress would have been slowed if former prime minister Pierre Trudeau had not legalized homosexuality in 1969, he said.

"I do believe it was a mistake to have legalized it,'' Spencer said.

NDP MP Svend Robinson told reporters he's "disgusted" by Spencer's comments.

"And he's not alone in the Canadian Alliance caucus. There have been similar comments made by too many other Alliance members," remarked Robinson, who is openly gay.

Spencer's inflammatory statements come at a time when his party is working on a merger with the Progressive Conservatives, a merger many Tories have resisted.

"I just have to ask," Robinson went on to say, "Why on earth would any Progressive Conservative want to ally himself with a party that includes somebody like Larry Spencer?

"This biggot was actually appointed by Stephen Harper as the official spokesperson on 'family values.' Did Harper not ask him whether he believed in equality?"

Merger opponent David Orchard told CTV's Canada AM Thursday that Spencer's comments are typical of those made by the Alliance on a number of issues, including women, immigrants, Atlantic Canada, and French-speaking Canadians.

"That's why this party is doomed, and that's why we'll be doomed if we follow it," Orchard said.

Spencer conceded in the newspaper interview that any MP -- especially someone from his party -- risks being labelled "a redneck or a hate-monger or homophobic" if they even mention such views in Parliament.

"I'm being very, very free here to talk with you against all advice, probably," he admitted.

"But you know I'm feeling very, very deprived, you know, of my rights in that I cannot say openly -- I dare not say it in the House of Commons, even -- the full extent of what I really believe on some of these issues."

Harper says that although MPs should be able to express themselves, there are limits.

"I think we have to agree to accept legitimate positions that are expressed by social conservatives. But that's different from the kind of statements (Spencer) has been making," Harper said.

"It is not acceptable to equate consensual homosexual activity with pedophilia... I consider it equally unacceptable to... equate legitimate social conservative debate, things like the definition of marriage, with homophobia or with all kinds of other things."

"Obviously, the statements made today are not party policy. They are not the policy of this party, and they are not going to be the policy of the new party."