By Alex Bush
EGANVILLE, Ontario, July 15, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Ken O'Day, a pro-family advocate who is applying to fill a vacancy on the Bonnechere Union Public Library Board in Eganville, Ontario, is being opposed by homosexualist groups for holding positions that “condemn gay and lesbian people in the area of social acceptance, legal rights, and education.” The accusations come from a petition signed by 33 people, including the local provincial NDP candidate, which says that O'Day “has publicly stated that his personal agenda is to condemn members of the gay and lesbian community.”
The woman who started the petition, who wishes to remain anonymous, commented to LSN, saying that O'Day's potential admittance to the board caused her to let the township know that “there is gay and lesbian community that would be very concerned.”
“The reason they would be concerned is not only because of Mr. O'Day's fundamentalist Christian attitudes but that he has also made it very clear that he condemns the gay and lesbian lifestyle and he is quite aggressive about that viewpoint,” she said.
“The board should represent a diversity of philosophies and attitudes,” she commented, while admitting that the board generally consists of those who adhere to “inclusive liberal philosophies.”
Furthermore, she said that she does not have a problem with expressing one's beliefs on the board as long one doesn't attempt to push an “aggressive agenda.”
“It's more his strident aggressive tone than what he believes in,” she said.
However, O'Day said that “her fears are based on conjecture.”
“What the board is looking for is to have things run the way they have been,” he commented, saying that at the meetings he has attended he has seen plenty of aggressive behavior coming from those who support the homosexual lifestyle.
“It's funny that the woman who started the petition accuses me of being aggressive when the present librarian and the chairwoman are very aggressive themselves,” O'Day said.
“I think it's pretty standard now right across Canada since same sex 'marriage' was voted that you can bully any Christians, and in my case a Catholic Christian into not applying.”
“What they're saying,” he said, “is, if you're Catholic then don't apply for the job because you can't be a faithful Catholic and work on the board at the same time.”
The petition was signed by the local provincial NDP candidate, Felicite Stairs, and the former federal Liberal Party president of the Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke Riding Association.
O'Day said that he applied for the position because he noticed that the library had added a pornographic movie, causing him to argue with the librarian and eventually being thrown out of her office. He also said that the librarian has filled the library with other feminist literature. He decided to take a stand and apply to fill the spot on the library board, saying that “If nobody is going to take a leadership role, then somebody has to.”
The head librarian, Jennifer Coleman, refused to comment on the matter.
O'Day told LSN that four of the six members of the board agreed with what the librarian has done.
He also said that if he is prevented from joining the board because of his beliefs he would be willing to take legal action. “I'm a knowledgeable Christian as well as firm in my beliefs, I'm not going to waiver, I'm not going to give up. I'm going right through to the end on this,” he said, “When they make this decision I want them to make a careful decision and weigh everything.”
Contact Information for North Algona/Wilberforce Council:
Email: [email protected]