Mr. Speaker, the hon. member indicated that there are a number of provisions in the bill that he can support and there are others which he cannot support.
I would like to ask the hon. member specifically, what is the position of the Reform Party or the hon. member himself, if there is not a position in the party, with respect to the provisions in the bill that would ensure that a sentence is increased in
circumstances in which an offence is motivated by among other factors sexual orientation?
The hon. member was present in the House when the Liberal member of Parliament for Central Nova made comments, among other things, suggesting that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, when she suggested that AIDS was a scourge to mankind which had been inflicted upon the country by homosexuals.
In view of the response of at least some of the hon. member's colleagues from the Reform Party seeming to indicate support for those positions, would the hon. member indicate what is the position of the Reform Party with respect to these provisions of the bill that would ensure stiffer sentences for those hate crimes which are motivated by homophobia, which are motivated by hatred on the basis of sexual orientation. Does he share the views of the hon. member for Central Nova?