B.C. New Democrats are demanding a B.C. Liberals candidate for the May 12 provincial election step down over comments he apparently made about homosexuals more than a decade ago.
The NDP released a 1996 email they say Marc Dalton, the Liberal candidate in Mission-Maple Ridge, sent to a colleague in which Dalton wrote he did not support a homosexual lifestyle. Written in the midst of a raging debate over same-sex marriage and education, the email compares homosexuality to other issues of morality.
The email, which was released by the NDP and attributed to Dalton, states:
I am not against homosexuals as people, but I do not support their lifestyle choices. I believe homosexuality is a moral issue. Most of us agree on many morals: respect, honesty, kindness. There are also many behaviours and acts that most of us would not condone: rape, robbery, assault, drunken driving, pedophilia, incest and so on.
There are other moral issues that large segments of our society do not see eye to eye: gambling, abortion, adultery, pornography. I believe that homosexuality fits in this category.
The email also says there are "many, many people who hold homosexuality to be an improper and high-risk behaviour," and clearly opposes violence against "these people."
(This report was updated at 8:30 p.m. Friday to add:)
When reached late Friday, Dalton apologized for the email but did not offer his resignation and insisted that he's a different man than he was when it was written.
"I would say that I've become much more tolerant, much more open," he said in an interview. "It's not something I would write now. There's been a lot of change since then.''
Dalton said he recognizes and applauds the significant contributions of the gay community and wouldn't want to cause offence to them or anyone else.
"It was never my intention to pass judgment on any individual and I have always been respectful of every individual's right to privacy and self-expression," Dalton said.
He said it's not his intention as an elected official to impose his personal values in any event, or "to revisit an issue that has been historically divisive and that our communities have endeavoured to move beyond."
It was enough for Liberals Leader Gordon Campbell, who did not ask Dalton to step down.
"First of all, I can understand why this would be hurtful to people. I'm sure that he's as sorry as everyone else is," Campbell told reporters. "He's issued an unequivocal apology.... I accept the apology."
Dalton is a French immersion teacher who represented the federal Conservatives in the 2006 federal election but was not allowed to run for the Tories last year, despite winning the local nomination process. The party did not give a reason for refusing Dalton's candidacy.
Spencer Herbert, the incumbent MLA and NDP candidate in Vancouver-West End, considered the heart of the city's gay community, said Campbell should denounce the comments and fire Dalton as a candidate.
“Either Mr. Dalton chose not to disclose these comments or they are acceptable to Mr. Campbell,” Herbert said in a release distributed by the NDP. “If Mr. Dalton hid his homophobia he should be asked to resign. If Mr. Campbell approved the candidacy knowing of these statements he should do the right thing, denounce these comments and fire this candidate.”
Last weekend, the NDP candidate in Vancouver-False Creek stepped down over embarrassing photos posted on his Facebook site. NDP Leader Carole James said Ray Lam showed a "lack of judgment" for posting the racy photos, and he stepped down so the issue wouldn't overshadow the campaign.
Last fall's federal election saw candidates from across the political spectrum felled by online gaffes and embarrassing situations from their past. Three federal New Democrats, two Tories and two Liberals stepped down during the race for everything from a decade-old skinny dip to online videos showing them smoking up.
Reported by The Canadian Press.
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Wilfred Laurier
3 years ago
A Decade???
Wow, ten years is a long time and things were different then.
Getting desperate as the debacle unravels.
Frank
3 years ago
He won't resign
Liberals never resign over anything.
if Campbell didn't resign for being a drunk driver in Hawaii this guy certainly won't do the right thing.
Eugene Hunt
3 years ago
Marc Dalton
What do you have to do to not be allowed to run again for the Conservatives?
Skywalker
3 years ago
No Wilf, Frank is right.
Liberals/Neocons never feel they have to resign over anything. It's as Nixon said, "If the President does it, it's not against the law. Just substitute "Premier".
G West
3 years ago
So let me get this straight Wilfred
A BCLiberal candidate complains about some facebook photos of youthful hijinks by an NDP candidate and it's a resigning offence - a Liberal candidate proves to be a raging homophobe and he's good to go.
I hope we'll hear what Mr Campbell has to say about this - wouldn't you like to hear how he explains this to his good buddy John deC Evans..
Perhaps they'll have THAT conversation over drinks at the Opus Hotel?
And no Wilf, I won't provide any more facts for you - you can figure it out yourself - the research will do you good.
VicRK
3 years ago
This is WAY worse than what
This is WAY worse than what Ray Lam did. Campbell now has to live up to his words on Lam.
Google "Marc Dalton" and Conservatives. He is a well-known social conservative.
How does someone with that kind of social conservatism fit in with the BC Liberal party.
Somehow I doubt a guy like this thinks any differently today. He just knew better than to write it down in an email.
Luke Skywalker Redux
3 years ago
If Ya LOVE So-Cons.... Have I Got a Party for You!
The BC Conservative Party is mostly comprised of ultra-right, Christian, anti-abortion, homophobic social conservative Vander Zalmoid-type candidates.
And to think that "Frank" wants their leader, ex-Reformer Wilf Hanni, at the leader's debate to espouse these views! :D
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
"The BC Conservative Party is mostly comprised of ultra-right, Christian, anti-abortion, homophobic social conservative Vander Zalmoid-type candidates."
And the Liberals aren't? Isn't Marc Dalton a Liberal? The article says he is, is it wrong?
"And to think that Frank wants their leader, ex-Reformer Wilf Hanni, at the leader's debate to espouse these views! :D"
Darn tootin.
If an NDP candidate said this the media would be pounding their fists and baying at the moon as if the NDP had set fire to the Reichstag. But when its a Liberal, the media will ignore it and blame the NDP.
Tony Martinson
3 years ago
This is obviously a personal attack
Can't wait to hear Bill Good stand up for this poor misbegotten man, Mr. Dalton...
VicRK
3 years ago
John McComb just did...
John McComb just did... "free speech" was reason number 1. Number 2 was that the email was from the 1990s.
Hello! Everything the Liberals stand for is about their hate for the 1990s.
This is a real test of Gordon Campbell's credibility.
Luke Skywalker Redux
3 years ago
Frank...
Lib Vancouver-West End candidate Laura McDiarmid is gay.
But the federal NDP has lots of MP's and candidates that are anti-gay...
Former Manitoba NDP MP Bev Desjarlais, NDP candidate Monia Mazigh, NDP candidate Des McGrath, and likely NDP MP's Peter Stoffer and Joe Comartin as well:
http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/NDP_not_so_queerfriendly-5520.aspx
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
I know Wilf is going to tell you that this is a BC provincial election.
I assume from you're answer that you're defending your what your candidate said on the ground that there's a Muslim NDPer in Manitoba running federally that is also anti-gay?
I just want to know if that's your reasoning because it sure looks like it is.
Frank
3 years ago
you're
I used "you're" instead of "your" in the above post by accident.
VicRK
3 years ago
Bev Desjarlais was forced
Bev Desjarlais was forced out for not supporting gay rights and then lost the election as an independent and then Ashton of the NDP re took the seat this past year.
The NDP is quite consistent on this. The Libs are all over the place. Mary Polak comes to mind. She tried to ban a book called "One dad, two dads, brown dad, blue dads".
One question to Luke Skywalker Redux: How many other ultra conservatives are running for the Liberals?
Good point about Laura McDiarmid. I wonder what she'll say. If she'll defend this guy too. She can just kiss that riding good bye to Herbert then.
Moonbug
3 years ago
why is homophobic in quotation marks?
by putting homophobic in quotation marks it turns it into a question instead of a fact. no one said 'racy' photos... they made it a statement.
I hope the Tyee stops printing CP tripe.
Moonbug
3 years ago
comparing homosexuality to
comparing homosexuality to these other things is not only despicable but homophobic - NOT 'homophobic'
frenchy mcswede
3 years ago
luke fly stalker:
The bc ndp was I believe one of the first provincial parties ever to have a gay candidate in tim stephenson in the west end. luke don't you think you'd be more comfortable living a third world country;take your idiotic reactionary ideas with you when you leave and please let the door hit you on your way out..
It's drearily predictable that the province and other canwest newspapers have now begun to stooge desperately for campbell -even more than usual I mean. The comments thread in sun articles has been put at one remove so that they must be viewed seperately from the articles. Over at the times colonist dave obee is desperately trying to paint the premier and the carbon tax green, and michael smyth, who for a short while at least tried to appear to hold campbell accountable seems to have reverted to full stooge-ahead mode with 2 ndp bashing articles in a row. The sun's harvey enchin also recently penned a desperate article contending that the job losses by the liberals since last summer shouldn't be counted against them as economic managers.
I believe that this is because jame's stance against the carbon tax is resonating in rural bc and the liberals and their media supporters know it all too well. it's also slowly beginning to enter their dim little minds that campbell is going to have a hard time stealing this election as he did the last by claiming to be the best economic manager with no real supporting evidence. Expect lots more phoney polls and desperate tactics. And let's never forget that the last election was won by only 5000 votes split over 8 or so ridings...
Campbellwearsatutu
3 years ago
Dalton won`t resign....
And the reason is quite simple.......
Today is the deadline for naming candidates,if Marc Dalton resigned Campbell would be running no one in that riding......
There is more dirt there than this,Harper didn`t reject this guy for for a 10 year old email.......
Look deep media,perhaps Sean Holman can dig up the rest of the dirt.......
anyways,put that riding down for the NDP in a lock,along with all 4 Burnaby ridings.
I spend a lot of time in that area,that riding was a NDP lock before this episode.
Cheers-Eyes Wide Open
randyh
3 years ago
Resign yes- but for different reasons
The person who should resign is any incumbent BC Liberal candidate for allowing BC Liberal insiders move to the IPP industry where they have dished out $30 billion in contracts for electricity that BC Hydro could produce at a fraction of that.
Here are the ones know about (no thanks to Canwest)
Geoff Plant, former BC Liberal Attorney General, now chair of Renaissance Power.
Mark Grant, BC Liberal executive director, resigns December 12, 2008 to join Rupert Peace Power.
David Cyr, former Assistant to BC Liberal Minister Mike de Jong, is now a director at Plutonic Power.
Robert Poore, recently worked under the Provincial Revenue Minister of the Province of BC, now is a senior director at Plutonic Power.
Tom Syer, who has held a variety of senior positions in the BC Government including Gordon Campbell’s Deputy Chief of Staff, is now a director at Plutonic Power.
Bill Irwin, after holding key positions in the BC Ministries of Land and Water, and Crown Lands, now is a director at Plutonic Power.
Bruce Young, has held several high profile positions with the BC Liberal party and lobbied his own party on behalf of Katabatic Power is listed as a director of Atla Energy.
Stephen Kukucha, former senior policy advisor for the BC Ministry of Environment, is now president and CEO of Atla Energy.
Bob Herath, former Assistant Regional Water Manager for the BC Ministry of Environment is now with Syntaris Power.
Paul Taylor, after his work as President and CEO of crown corporation ICBC as well as high level positions in the BC Government, is now President and CEO of Naikun Wind Energy Group.
Michael J. O’Conner, former President and CEO of Crown Corporation BC Transit, now holds senior positions at Naikun.
Jackie Hamilton, formerly held various BC Government environmental assessment and regulatory management positions, is now a VP at Cloudworks Energy.
Remember the Libs are going to make BC Hydro buy billions of $ of electricity at $120 MW Hour. According to BC Hydro's 2008 annual report, it costs the company $6MW hour to make it themselves.
Tzeporah can say that the public/private ownership is a non issue, but she is wrong. It costs BC Hydro $60 MWhour to buy from Alcan (although Alcan makes it for $6 MW hour as well)
DPL
3 years ago
My Gosh, the CBC TV news
My Gosh, the CBC TV news this evening was great. It showed the Ex Soliciter General Ding Dong trying to explain his four month driving suspention. Seems he likes to speed. Then the woman candidate with around 35 vehicle violations, then the guy who writes emails about gay people. All follwed by King Gordo telling us that a lot of epole get the odd parking or speeding ticket. The article ended showig Gordo's mug shots from Maui. Great team effort Gordon. And nobody mentioned the recent soliciter General John Les under investigation of the police chief super candidate who resigned to stop an investigation on his actions. And these folks want to get to write laws!!! Heaven forbid
Skywalker
3 years ago
Redux logic?
Doesn't luke have a direct contradiction in his post above. Somebody in Manitoba protested a policy of same-sex marriage and the NDP allegedly removed her as parliamentary critic and this proves what? Luke says it proves the NDP is homophobic. Hello! Did I miss something in Redux logic here?
Rod Smelser
3 years ago
Outright lies
Former Manitoba NDP MP Bev Desjarlais, NDP candidate Monia Mazigh, NDP candidate Des McGrath, and likely NDP MP's Peter Stoffer and Joe Comartin as well:
Outright lies from Xtra West, a known Liberal house organ.
AI
3 years ago
@Rod Smelser
Is that the Liberal house organ that just published a scathing list of reasons not to vote Liberal?
http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/10_reasons_not_to_vote_Liberal-6656.aspx
MichaelT
3 years ago
andof course it only
andof course it only looksgoodon Libs as james came off as reactionary church-lady when lam was dumped.
The premier looks like the embodiment of reason just by doing nothing while the NDP indulges in victorian-era sanctimony and outrage.
Seriously, move on - this just drags the tattle-tale down.
Rod Smelser
3 years ago
Liberal House Organ
Al
Is that the Liberal house organ that just published a scathing list of reasons not to vote Liberal?
Yes.
Federally Xtra West has been solidly Liberal, a major powerhouse for Hedy Fry. They might publish the odd article that leans in a different direction, but their main man in Vancouver is a key ingredient in Hedy's continuing string of wins.
BTW, Al, take a look at the comments below the article you linked to.
Dan the socialist
3 years ago
Most people do not care. The
Most people do not care. The Liberals and their candidates can basically do or say what ever they want and they won't lose any votes..
The province is changing federally and provincially and has been moving to the right at a steady pace for the last 10 years.
North of Hope
3 years ago
Fault of the NDP
Wilfred Laurier says, "Wow, ten years is a long time and things were different then."
It is the fault of the NDP as he said it in the 90's when the NDP were in power.
brg61
3 years ago
Too Hot For Harper
This guy was too hot for Harper, but was
fine with Campbell. The bar isn't very
high to say the least. "Morals" in this
administration don't appear on the radar.