NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe claims he's being smeared by haters over a 1999 photo

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      The man at the top of the NPA ticket has claimed that he's being victimized by personal attacks.

      In a phone interview with the Georgia Straight, mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe alleged that a recent article distributed by the Broadbent Institute "was a complete smear job".

      It noted that when LaPointe was editor-in-chief of the Hamilton Spectator in 1999, he wrote an editorial explaining why the paper had refused to publish a photo on the front page of two men kissing.

      "I'm concerned that there are haters out there who also have the equivalent of a printing press or a broadcast outlet who feel no compunction about smearing," LaPointe said. "That concerns me. That would concern me if it were coming out of our camp as much as whether it comes out of another camp."

      He said that the Broadbent Institute article has "permitted Vision Vancouver staff and supporters to take it to the next step, which is to say, 'He hates, he's a hater.' "

      Vision Vancouver campaign communications director Marcella Munro fired off several tweets and retweets today about LaPointe's decision not to publish the photo in 1999.

      In one, she asked: "Does @kirklapointe still find pictures of gay men kissing distasteful?"

      In another, Munro stated: "And 15 years ago lots of us were happy to stand for equality, inside the media and out."

      In a third tweet, Munro posted a link to an Ontario court decision along with this message: "15 years ago courts took leadership. Mr. LaPointe did not: ."

      LaPointe said that he has proposed a "code of conduct" to take personal attacks out of the campaign.

      "If my ideas aren't as good as the other person's ideas, then I deserve to lose," he said. "But we shouldn't express ourselves in a way that gets personal, that hypothesizes motives, that somehow draws a foul conclusion about the other person. That's not what this city is about. It's a city of tolerance, not an angry mob, and so you know, I'm resisting as many urges as I can to not respond to the haters and to people that don't bother to have a decent sense of reflection or inquiry."

      He added he's concerned that some of the people who've criticized him about the photo are members of the Liberal Party of Canada. He wouldn't identify them by name.

      "The leader of the party is the son of...the most revered politician in my life," LaPointe said. "I can't believe that he would tolerate this."

      Meanwhile, Vision Vancouver councillor Tim Stevenson told the Straight by phone that he's "disappointed" to hear LaPointe accuse people of being haters.

      Stevenson, a long-time activist for LGBT rights, added that LaPointe's response suggests that no one can question what he did or why he did it.

      "I would hope that he would recognize that he made an error in judgement and he would apologize to our community," Stevenson said. "I think he needs to apologize."

      Stevenson criticized LaPointe for not attending the launch of Pride Week at Vancouver City Hall. Stevenson also said that the last time the NPA was in power, from 2005 to 2008, it halted holding events at Vancouver City Hall to commemorate Pride.

      "They stopped everything," he said. "There wasn't one Pride event of any kind in those three years."

      LaPointe said that he's never been a hater and has maintained an "open heart" in his dealings with other people.

      "I'd like to think that those who have worked with me have always felt that I've been open-minded, encouraging, tolerant as a colleague, and that the journalism that I've advocated has been ahead of its time," the NPA mayoral candidate said.

      That prompted Stevenson to retort: "Obviously it wasn't ahead of its time when he refused to put the picture of two men kissing [in the newspaper] and thought it was inappropriate."

      Stevenson also criticized the NPA for not expelling school trustees Ken Denike and Sophia Wood from caucus more than two years ago after they appeared in a video shot by a U.S. organization opposed to same-sex marriage.

      "No one challenged what they said and what they did at all," Stevenson said. 

      He added that it was only after Denike and Woo "went way over the top" this year in their opposition to advancing equality for LGBT students that the caucus chair, Elizabeth Ball, took action.

      LaPointe, however, said that the NPA caucus's decision to expel Denike and Woo "sent a very clear message that we stand for inclusiveness and tolerance".

      "The NPA that people see in this campaign might be a little different than the NPA they believed they knew," LaPointe added. "And I think our actions will speak to that, but that was a very clear positive signal that this is our way ahead."

      And yes, LaPointe said he plans to march in the Pride parade on Sunday (August 3). This will occur even as Vision Vancouver continues trying to cast doubts on his party's commitment to equal rights for the LGBT community.

      Comments

      26 Comments

      Jim

      Aug 1, 2014 at 5:40pm

      This is a man with very thin skin.

      sharon

      Aug 1, 2014 at 5:44pm

      What is he, 12?
      Criticizing a policy position he took as an editor is not a personal attack.
      Saying he dresses funny would be a personal attack.
      Nobody has done that.

      Jim Simons

      Aug 1, 2014 at 5:56pm

      "But we shouldn't express ourselves in a way that gets personal, that hypothesizes motives, that somehow draws a foul conclusion about the other person"

      If want a list of him doing just that repeatedly about his opponents, check any of his blog posts and most of his statements since he has been public about being a candidate. That's almost all he has done: smear, innuendo, attack. Its all there. Positive campaign my a, a hypocritical campaign more like, and thin skinned to boot.

      Just a Voter

      Aug 1, 2014 at 6:19pm

      He needs to apologize for an editorial decision in Hamilton in 1999? Give it a rest Tim Stevenson - let's have a discussion about the real issues facing Vancouver over the next 4 years. The Vision Vancouver attack machine is obviously switching into high gear, and it's part of the reason voters are recognizing Vision Vancouver as bullies.

      skippy

      Aug 1, 2014 at 9:37pm

      As a gay man I much prefer Lapointe's thoughtful approach to GLBT rights than the facile pandering from Vision. Perhaps the most insulting image I recall is Gregor Robertson and Joel Solomon on float in the Pride parade in a mock gay wedding ceremony. Yes, thanks for trivializing the most significant gay rights issue in recent history.

      Victor

      Aug 1, 2014 at 10:47pm

      Stephenson shld apologise to the West End for his lies in the last civic campaign when he said "no new towers if you elect me"! Then proceeded to ignore resodents voices when they were stunned by his support of Bidwell and Comox STIR handouts to developers. Not exactly lily white himself.

      We know where the truth lies. Enough, Stephenson. The truth will sort you out.

      Daniel Tanner

      Aug 1, 2014 at 10:55pm

      I think it's an entirely valid criticism. It's not like he was a kid when he made that decision, and it speaks to his character. In fact, his response now says a lot too. He should just admit that he was a biggoted a$$hat back then and be done with it.

      Salty One

      Aug 2, 2014 at 8:53am

      LaPointe the former journalist and editor knows better than to complain about this. LaPointe the mayoral candidate had no choice but to complain. He knows the deal when it comes to public officials and he shouldn't be braying. He needs to put his big-boy pants on if he's going to run for mayor because it's going to be a long and bumpy ride to the election.

      Alan Layton

      Aug 2, 2014 at 9:49am

      Quite pathetic seeing a journalist complaining about being taken out of context. It's the job of all journalists to completely distort the story and give it whatever context their employers desire.