[Grimmlok]

TheSTAR

The Conservative candidate skipped the debate, but Rondo Thomas's anti-same-sex marriage comments he made on a controversial video resonated throughout Pickering Recreation Centre last night at a televised all-candidates meeting.

Thomas, the pastor at the Toronto Christian Centre and the vice-president of Canada Christian College, also missed a debate Tuesday as his video from a February church service made national headlines while the Liberals continue to search for a wedge issue to stop the surging Conservatives.

"Nobody's hiding anything, he's eager to talk about it," said campaign manager Mike Young, who said Thomas was attending a funeral in eastern Ontario.

Young said Thomas would address the issue tomorrow.

Liberal Mark Holland, the incumbent, posted Thomas's video on his re-election campaign's website in an attempt to use past allegations of intolerance by the Tories to his advantage.

On the video, Thomas says: "There is going to be a clash of morality views between those who believe in righteousness and those who believe in immorality and when we collide there is going to be conflict."

He adds: "It doesn't matter what the media says, it doesn't matter what the government says — the facts don't count. We are going to win this conflict."

A member of the audience asked the four candidates in attendance to react to Thomas's views, although the moderator rephrased the question to ask for their position on same-sex marriage because Thomas wasn't there to defend himself.

Holland said the Liberals would make sure churches and mosques would be protected from performing services they opposed, but added minority rights had to be protected.

"Declaring war on people doesn't make sense," Holland said.

The NDP's Kevin Modeste said the matter was done because "Parliament has spoken" while Kevin Norng of the Christian Heritage Party said he was against gay marriage because he wants to "protect children" from a lifestyle that erodes family values.

Green party candidate Russell Korus supported same-sex marriage as a matter of human rights.

The planned Pickering airport, slated for construction as early as 2012, is another big issue. The four in attendance last night opposed its construction.

Facts don't count, government doesn't count, charter of rights doesn't count... well sieg heil to you too, Hitler.

How can anybody vote for these assholes?