Conservative Party Dealings with Social Conservative Larry Spencer Finally Revealed

OTTAWA, February 5, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The truth on the Larry Spencer affair has finally been revealed.  For weeks after the initial story broke that the Regina MP had given a politically incorrect interview to a known ‘so-con headhunter’ reporter at the Vancouver Sun, LifeSiteNews.com attempted in vain to speak with Spencer to get his side of the story, knowing the strong anti-family bias of the mainstream media in Canada.  Spencer was silent.  Now, after being barred from entry into the Conservative Party, and thus barred from running for the Party in the coming election, Spencer has revealed that he was forced to remain silent by the Party, unable even to correct the factual errors that were being reported.  In a communication to LifeSiteNews.com Spencer, for the first time reveals, “I temporarily withdrew from the Canadian Alliance caucus understanding that I would be allowed back in after I was provided sufficient time to clarify my comments.  The comments in question were those that were so extremely misrepresented by Peter O’Neil of the Vancouver Sun resulting from my informal conversation with him on November 25, 2003.”  Regarding his being muzzled by the Party, he notes, “I was made to sign an apology, which was not one of clarity.  I was ordered to accept a communications strategy that included my staff.  In short, I was muzzled and unable to make any comments to refute the media headlines and talk shows that had begun to take on a life of their own without fair consideration of the facts.  I now know a forced gag order is the worst thing a politician must endure.  I was allowed no defence.”  Regarding his treatment by the Party, Spencer writes, “It has always been my belief that I was only answerable to my constituents.  I learned today that I must first answer to a leader, a caucus and a political party.  It is sad that the leader, Stephen Harper or the Conservative Party, never considered my constituent’s expressions of support and were denied all the facts.”  Concluding his release, Spencer said, “I am a Canadian by choice and have lived in this riding for nearly 29 years.  I intend to continue to serve this country as I have since I first arrived so many years ago.  ‘I am Canadian.’”  See the full Spencer Press Release in PDF format https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004_docs/Spencerrelease.pdf   Also see the documentation presented to the Conservative Caucus seeking to reinstate Spencer:  https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/feb/040205b.html