Canadian Politician Makes 'Biblical' Anti-Gay Comments, Provokes Hate Crime Inquiry

A Canadian politician who indicated that his campaign is run according to Biblical principles told an auditorium full of school children that "gays should be executed"--and became the focus of a hate crime inquiry.

As reported by several media sources, including The Canadian Press on Oct. 7 and the Woodstock newspaper the Sentinel-Review on Oct. 1, Canadian candidate David Popescu was speaking to students of a secondary school in the northern Ontario town of Sudbury on Sept. 30, when he was asked by a student about gay marriage, and responded with the remark about gays being executed.

In another incident that is also being investigated as "a threatening occurrence," Popescu allegedly made similar anti-gay remarks with relation to a woman who had appeared with him on a radio show in Toronto on Oct. 2.

Days after the incident at the Ontario school, Popescu, an Independent, had the question put to him by talk radio host John Oakley as to whether the executive director of GLBT equality group Egale Canada, Helen Kennedy, should be put to death.

Popescu responded in the affirmative, according to Kennedy, who has taken the matter to police as a hate crime.

Popescu's first remark was made before an audience of about 200 secondary school students. When asked by a student in Sudbury about gay marriage, Popescu responded that gays should be put to death, sending a shock through the assembled students and the other candidates who had attended the school's event, at which candidates for federal office from a number of Canada's political parties had convened to speak.

The Greater Sudbury Police Service immediately launched an investigation, with deputy police chief Frank Elsner quoted in the Sentinel-Review article as saying, "We are actively conducting a criminal investigation in this matter."

Popescu, who has suggested that he is running a Biblically-based campaign, began his remarks by offering a prayer, before then claiming that economic woes and environmental degradation were directly attributable to social immorality.

Later, when students were given a chance to ask questions of the candidates, Popescu told a female student that "God would hurt" women if they aborted their babies, in response to her query about his view on stem cell research.

Then one boy directed a query about gay marriage toward Popescu, who recounted the exchange in his own words that same day in an interview.

Recounted Popescu, "A young man asked me what I think of homosexual marriages and I said I think homosexuals should be executed."

Popescu continued, "My whole reason for running is the Bible, and the Bible couldn't be more clear on that point."

The assembles students rose to their feet and demanded that Popescu leave the discussion; meantime, the school's staff, and the other candidates, did nothing and said nothing.

The event resumed and continued, with principle Paul Camillo saying later, "We're here today to hear what the candidates have to say."

Continued Camillo, "As an inclusive school, we respect all other opinion although we may not agree with them-and I know there were definitely some things said today that we don't agree with."

A local GLBT advocate, Gary Kinsman, was quoted as saying of Popescu that while the candidate he is known for his beliefs, he had not previously said anything "so extreme."

Added Kinsman, "He's not simply saying that lesbians or gay men are mentally ill or somehow deviant or criminals.

"He's saying we should be subject to the death penalty."

Continued Kinsman, "I think sometimes violence and hatred towards gays and lesbians gets dressed up in sort of a religious guise and is somehow tolerated.

"I just don't think it should be tolerated at all."

The makeup of the audience also was a cause for concern, opined Kinsman, who said, "There are lots of young people in high schools in Sudbury who are struggling with their sexualities.

"Often times, it's pretty hard time for them.

"To say something [like that] to young people is pretty terrible."

The Winnipeg Sun reported on Oct. 3 that the school board for the Sudbury secondary school where the remark was made had determined that Popescu would not be welcome back for any similar subsequent events.

Jean Hanson, of the school board, released a statement reading, "We do not tolerate statements that promote hatred or violence in our schools."

Added the release, "Such comments are contrary to what is expected in a civil society.

"There is no justification for this."