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Canada:MP regrets "stupid, thoughtless" slur

Sat 5 Apr 2008 In: International News

A Canadian MP says he could never apologize enough to make up for the "shameless" homophobic slurs he made on a 1991 videotape, and he struggles to understand why he ever made the comments in the first place. Tom Lukiwski, reading a lengthy apology in the House of Commons on Friday, said he never meant what he said when he was filmed nearly 17 years ago at a social gathering at the provincial Progressive Conservative election campaign headquarters. "The only explanation I can give is that I was stupid, thoughtless and insensitive," said the Conservative MP, as reported by the CBC. "I'm not using that as a defence, I'm merely stating the way that I felt and the actions that I took." He went on to name a long list of peoplewho were likely hurt by his comments, includinghis family, his constituents and the prime minister. In particular, he singled out the gay and lesbian community and his gay and lesbian colleagues, who he said have been supportive of him over the years. "The comments I made should not be tolerated in any society," he said. "They should not be tolerated today, they should not have been tolerated in 1991, they should not have been tolerated the years previous to that. "I will spend the rest of my career and my life trying to make up for those shameless comments," he concluded. On the tape, which was released by the provincial NDP on Thursday, Lukiwski makes reference to "homosexual faggots with dirt on their fingernails that transmit diseases." This story continues on the link below.    

Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff

First published: Saturday, 5th April 2008 - 11:51pm

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