Now you're going to extremes. Comparing killing someone to making a derogative remark is like comparing apples and oranges.

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Originally posted by Yohan So the guy said something stupid 16 freaking years ago. You never said something you regret? Like Jay said, if his constituents have an issue with it, he'll deal with it.

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Originally posted by MarkT ^^^ the timeframe is relevant...but "who cares" is ridiculous. So if I killed someone 16 years ago, it matters less than if I killed them yesterday? that's just as ridiculous (moreso) than people calling for this guy to be fired. I expect Harper to display some leadership by publicly chastising the MP in question and offering some proactive options on what the party is doing to weed up this type of attitude. Jeez, the SAME riding's previous MP was removed. WTF is going on in that constitueny in the CPC and what is the party doing there to ensure that the NEXT MP isn't a racist/homophobe/etc? I don't expect him to step down or be fired (as I said in my previous post), because it did occur some time ago and becuase I don't know the guy to know what he has or has not done since then in reference to his views/actions towards guys, women, other ethnic groups, etc. Someone in a subsequent article made a rather good point: While this ocurred was 16 years ago, the MP was 40 years old at the time. This is NOT a case of some kid who said something dumb and has since "grown up". This was a 40 year old man who is likely NOT still "figuring things out". The change between a 16 yr old to age 32 is substantial...40 to 56, not so much, I'll wager. I consider the issue over...particularly with the very public apology issued, to the press and to the House of Commons, that appears genuine. I hope that constituents there will remember this, come election time, while considering his record since then. Harper *could* take some initiative and reach out to the gay community here...but, of course, will not. THAT is why the party continues to live with it's "anti-gay" label (despite it not being valid) and why other parties will always dominate with gay voters.

I love how this is a "conservative issue". There have been more recent past rantings from Liberal MPs that didnt get half the press. Whats more, the liberals are on record as being opposed to gay marriage and other gay rights for decades including the time period that this tape was made. It wasnt till 2003 when the liberals had an epipheny that suddenly they were the gay rights champions. In reality its because the government of the day had no choice but to accept the court imposed decision on gay marriage.

So suddenly the Liberals were forced to accept gay marriage which changes their point of view and all is forgiven. Harper has a vote on gay marriage in order to uphold the principals of democracy and make it a law voted in by elected officials and suddenly he and his party are "anti-gay". He knew damn well that gay marriage would get the thumbs up but had the vote anyways out of democratic principal. And as promised, he has accepted the results.

For the record many conservative MPs voted FOR gay marriage and many liberals did not.

Im not supporting this conservative MP's comments but i think if we are to critisize we should focus on the individual moreso than the party . Lets use the same measureing stick here as we have in the past.

^^^ oh get real. Harper is the LEAST democratic PM we've had in our freakin' lifetime. He has centralized power in his office like no other PM in recent history. God, just recently Dan McTeague's motion on RESPs *passed* in the House and what does the CPC do, they "demand" that the Senate turf the bill, but then premptively amend their own budget legislation to defeat implementation.

so you can spare us the "democratic" bullshit because the CPC is interesting in further it's agenda by any means possible...and in the RESP case, by CIRCUMVENTING the democratic process. God, everything they implement is made a "confidence issue". So don't vote how you feel...vote how you feel knowing that if you do, you trigger an election. the only thing more pathetic than that bullying attitude is that no other party has been able to step up yet to put a stop to it.

and this is not "about" the CPC...it's about one person's remarks and the lack of action by their party's leadership in addressing them. I said that inaction on this only serves to foster the anti-gay image that many people ascribe to the party, particularly it's Alliance roots. I didn't say it's a "Conservative issue" as if the party is full of anti-gay members.

It's rather apparent that this image exists...rightly or wrongly is besides the point. If Harper was smart, he'd use this as an opportunity to help dispel/change that image by making an example out of this guy somehow. It doesn't have to be termination...but it should be something more than a mere apology.

and it actually *is* a CPC issue in that riding when the previous MP was fired for similar ridiculousness in suggesting that homosexuality should be made illegal. If I was leading that party, I'd be wondering WTF is going on in that riding!

rants are one thing...but find me the Liberal (or any other MP) who made a similar remark What he said was well beyond a rant, well beyond disagreeing with gay marriage, well beyond an "off-colour remark" and it certainly can't be considered a joke. He's referring to gay men as lesser than straight men, repeating a slur, and then perpetuating a ridiculous steretype. Should someone who felt (feels?) that way have a hand in legislating law in our country? I'm not so sure...

I really would love to hear about what magical epiphany he had between the age of 40 and 56 that shows why this should be dismissed as "nothing" like some people here seem to be suggesting

I wonder how the ladies would be reacting if he said that women were 2nd class citizens, whores, and belonged in the kitchen? or how people would react if he made some derogatory 'n**ger' remark?

whatever...it's the last I'll comment on it. I'm appalled that some people think this is not a big deal...