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Crazy Canuck Says Homos Should Be Executed
SUDBURY — Police are investigating whether an independent federal candidate committed a hate crime by telling high school students homosexuals should be executed. Labels: Canada, controversial, gay news, youth news
David Popescu was invited to participate in a federal candidates' discussion at Sudbury Secondary School yesterday. He made the comment after a student asked his opinion of gay marriage.
Within hours, the Greater Sudbury Police Service said they were investigating.
"We are actively conducting a criminal investigation in this matter," deputy police chief Frank Elsner said.
The police service plans to share its evidence with the provincial Attorney General's office, which will provide direction on whether or not a criminal charge is warranted. More than 200 students gathered in the school's auditorium to hear candidates from the NDP, Liberal Party and the First Peoples National Party.
Popescu introduced himself with a public prayer, blaming environmental damage and economic unrest on the wickedness of society. His comments were met with silence as some students grimaced and shifted in their seats.
Near the end of the more than two-hour event, students were invited to ask the candidates questions. As a long line of pupils waited to speak, Popescu told a young female student who asked about stem cell research that, "God would hurt" those who had an abortion.
The crowd jeered and many rose to their feet in protest after Popescu answered another teenager's question on gay marriage.
During a telephone interview later in the day, Popescu reasserted his view.
"A young man asked me what I think of homosexual marriages and I said I think homosexuals should be executed," he said. "My whole reason for running is the Bible and the Bible couldn't be more clear on that point." Candidates and teachers looked on in silence as students called for him to be "cut off." Despite their outrage, the discussion moved to other topics.
Paul Camillo, principal of Sudbury Secondary, emphasized the school's inclusiveness in his closing remarks but did not condemn the statement.
"We're here today to hear what the candidates have to say," he said in an interview. "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." When Sun Media-owned Sudbury Star later requested a comment on the controversy from the Rainbow District School Board, the board directed Camillo to provide its response, rather than the board's chair or director of education.
Camillo said he could not state whether Popescu would be welcomed back to Sudbury Secondary, as a candidate in a future political debate.
An advocate for the Sudbury Gay and Lesbian community said while Popescu's extreme views are well known, he has never said something "so extreme." "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," said Gary 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." Kinsman was particularly concerned the comments were made before a group of young people.
"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," he said. "To say something to young people is pretty terrible."
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Oh Canada. First the upset over yaoi/hentai and now this?
Gay and straight youth groups in Canada have come out against a change in age of consent from 14 to 16. Labels: Canada, court drama, loli, sex, shota, youth news
Richard Hudler of the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario claims that it will unfairly prejudice gay teenagers.
"My first lover was 17 years older than me. And this is common [among gay people]," he said, according to xtra.ca.
"It is dangerous, considering the attitude toward sexual orientation in schools, for a young person to attempt to make sexual contact with a peer."
The change in the age of consent has cross-party support and is almost certain to become law.
Politicians argue it is a necessary child protection measure.
LGBT groups also spoke against the discriminatory age of consent for anal sex in Canada.
Under Canada's Criminal Code, anal sex is only legal if both individuals are 18 years old.
The Canadian House of Commons justice committee had a chance to strike down the law last year, but the chair, Conservative MP Art Hanger, refused.
"This factor sends a strong message to the gay community that hostility toward same-sex relationships is a motivating factor behind this legislation," said Hudler.
"The bill is homophobic," Jeremy Dias, executive director of Jer's Vision, a youth group that seeks to end discrimination in schools, said, according to xtra.ca.
"Why can't a gay male youth make sexual decisions until he's 18?"
Canada's legal system ties consent to the desire to protect children from adults who wish to exploit them sexually.
Section 153 of Canada's criminal justice code then goes on to prohibit the sexual touching of a person under 18 by a person in three circumstances: if he or she is in a "position of trust or authority" towards the youth, if the youth is in a "relationship of dependency" with him or her or if the relationship is
"exploitative."
The alleged intention of the bill is to target sexual predators and pimps, although no legal distinction is made to differentiate them from older partners engaged or interested in non-exploitative relationships, or to distinguish between sexual harassment and normal approaches.
Details of the proposed change include raising the age of consent from 14 to 16, while creating a near-age exemption for sex between 14 to 15 year olds and partners up to five years older, and keeping an existing near-age clause for sex between 12 and 13 year olds and partners up to two years older.
The Canadian Senate will continue hearings on the Conservative government's omnibus crime bill, which includes the age of consent changes, this week.
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Dirty Sexy Money
The Bank of Canada destroyed more than $6.4 million worth of mutilated bank notes in 2006 and estimates a small number of the 5,000 cases it handles each year involve "contaminants."
"Types of contaminants include: notes found on a corpse, stagnant water, contaminated by human or animal body fluids such as urine, feces, vomit, infectious blood, fine hazardous powders from detonated explosives, dye pack and/or drugs," says one report. "Currency Production's procedures and personal protective equipment provided protect employees from exposure to the above."
That document entitled "Mutilated Note Activity in Ottawa" says the central bank took measures in 2005 to "reduce the risk associated with handling contaminated notes." It requires financial institutions and other senders to provide detailed information about the substance and how the notes became contaminated before agreeing to evaluate them.
"Some of the reasons given include flooding, fires and burial of notes," bank spokesperson Christian Vezeau said in an email. "We do receive, from time to time, contaminated notes that were seized by police forces."
However, the vast majority of mutilated notes are simply torn or ripped. Other, more complex cases include burned or decomposed notes that may involve ash, mould, dried organic matter or soot.
The Bank of Canada has also taken steps to ensure the "safe handling" of mutilated notes by its staff, including sophisticated operating procedures at its main Ottawa-based facility.
"If an unknown contaminant is received by bank employees, the room is vacated," the report says. "The package is left in the room and employees immediately contact the bank's wellness section to discuss next steps."
After the bank notes are analyzed and their value determined, they are kept for a minimum of eight weeks before being set aside for destruction, Vezeau said. Destruction certificates indicate that mutilated bills were shredded on nine occasions in 2006 and then once in July of this year.
Depending on its condition, a $20 note may not actually be worth 20 bucks. For example, half a $20 bill may only yield a settlement of $10 from the bank, Vezeau said, provided the note is split exactly in half.
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