Photograph by: Chung Chow, Delta Optimist
The BC Conservatives have gone nearly two years without a leader, but even before their new one has been anointed he’s almost become damaged goods. John Cummins, a 69-year-old former Reformicon, left his job as federal Conservative MP in order to revitalize the politically irrelevant provincial Conservative Party in B.C. But he was forced to apologize Sunday for controversial remarks he made about homosexuality on radio that left many people aghast.
Cummins, who will be sworn in as party leader on May 28, suggested during a CFAX radio interview last week that sexual orientation is a choice that does not require specific protection under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
“I’m not a scientist [but] some of the research tells me that there’s more of an indication that that’s a choice issue,” he said, adding that he voted against adding sexual orientation protection for homosexuals during his time as a federal MP.
The statement he released yesterday not only backtracked from the suggestion homosexuality is a choice, it took an about-face:
“My comments on CFAX radio this past Wednesday may have been misinterpreted and may have offended some. I apologize for that. To clarify, my use of the word “choice” was unfortunate, because it confused the meaning of my statement, which was that I believe anyone can live their life in the way they want.”
Before I continue, I just have to say that I agree, in general, that there doesn’t doesn’t need to be specific protection for homosexuals under the CHRA. I think the laws are sufficient and clear enough, and have been since the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was implemented, to protect anybody from every walk in society. When Cummins says everyone should be given the same opportunities and protections, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, I’m in agreement.
It’s difficult, however, to infer that Cummins meant anything other than what he said in the first instance, that he actually believes homosexuality is a sexual preference. It’s even worse that Cummins made this error during a critical juncture when the people of B.C. are just beginning to learn about the political party and its new leader.
It’s also one thing to apologize for the mistake, but to then suggest he actually meant that sexual freedom is a choice, not orientation, reeks of damage control PR. It’s fairly clear what he meant when he said what he said, and the unfortunate thing about that is the defunct Reform party continues to make mainstream Canada uncomfortable.
That’s why Stephen Harper had to unite the federal elements of the rightwing movement in Canada, mainstream the social issues into a more liberal focus, and extinguish any socially conservative agenda. Strangely, it was the fiscal confidence Canadians have in Harper that gave him his majority, but the fact he didn’t scare Canadians with socially conservative issues also played a part.
It isn’t even that Cummins’s comments are socially conservative either, as the mentality that homosexuality is a choice is a fringe opinion even within the conservative movement itself. For evidence of this one need look no farther than the revulsion and shock among supporters of the party in the province.
This is the last thing the party needs as it attempts to present itself as a serious mainstream alternative to BC Liberal members who don’t like their new leader Christy Clark.
At age 69 it must be difficult to become politically correct. Time to retire. The world he knew is gone.
I and probably a healthy majority of Canadians will give John the benefit of a doubt re. any accusation of homophobia. Often when we need a word with exactly the right nuance it eludes us and so we settle for one which may turn out to be a bad choice. Perhaps the word he needed was “challenge”, conveying the sentiment that homosexuality, like many other conditions, happens to people and it requires concentrated effort to un-happen it if the person involved CHOOSES to change.
Nothing wrong with his original position. It’s sad that we’ve become so PC that he felt the need to apologize.
I’m not as old as Cummins but I’ve lived long enough to see several people who were flamingly out gays in the 1970s and 1980s later living as straight in the 1990s and 2000s. That said, I want the B.C. Conservatives to focus on corruption, deregulation, and shrinking government.
I’m glad he beaked off on this before I bought a party membership. Wake me when the party chooses someone electable.
Yeah I’d say we’ll be having an NDP government followed by a BC Liberal party implosion. Hopefully when that implosion takes place a conservative party emerges with an electable leader. Until that time you’d be wise to move capital out of the province.
There was nothing wrong with his comments in the first place. It is disgusting that not following the PC mob was treated as though the man had called for criminalising homosexuality and some kind of open season on them. One need not be a senior citizen to recall that Trudeau and the premiers purposely excluded sexual orientation from the Charter, and later judicial activists decided to write it into the Charter. Frankly I wager that the majority of Canadians are opposed to special rights for any special group; not only gays and lesbians. Still since none of this pertained to any proposed policy, it was, and is, for all intents and purposes a non issue except for the PC mob.
Having said that I do not think the BC Conservatives picked the best leader in that it would be someone who could lead them to victory. I do not have any names in mind but surely they could have found someone more dynamic and politicly savvy. Why do we seem to be stuck in BC with a choice of Liberal or NDP? I would truly like a party for which I could vote.
Thanks for an idea, you sparked at thought from a angle I hadn’t given thoguht to yet. Now lets see if I can do something with it.