A fringe candidate in the 2008 federal election who allegedly called for the execution of gays has been charged under Canada’s hate propaganda laws, according to Greater Sudbury Police.
Independent candidate John David Popescu made the comments during an all-candidates debate in Sep 2008, say police. The debate took place at a high school, and one student asked for Popescu’s thoughts about same-sex marriage.
Sudbury Police quote Popescu as saying: “I believe that homosexuals should be executed.”
Police say that Popescu made similar comments to Helen Kennedy, the executive director of Egale Canada, on a Toronto radio show in Oct 2008.
He has been charged under section 319.2 of the Criminal Code — wilful promotion of hatred.
In the 2008 federal election, Popescu received 80 out of 42,943 valid votes cast in Sudbury.
He is set to appear in court Apr 15.
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