Canada may be one of the most progressive countries when it comes to homosexual legal rights but political campaigner Todd Hauptman says negative public attitudes about gays have prompted him to resign, he says.
There may be more to it than that. In the current provincial election in British Columbia, Hauptman worked for liberal candidate Mary Polak.
Hauptman told the public broadcaster that Polak has been supportive on a personal level. But he said she failed to stand up for the gay community when recently asked about her fight to include books promoting gay families while she was a member of the Surrey School Board.
“Today, I am asking politicians of all stripes — including Mary — to speak up for the gay community … I have had enough of being marginalized and I am tired of politicians making endless excuses for political gain,” he wrote in a letter to citizens of the province.
The resignation surprised Polak who had discussed with Hauptman a close friendship that he had with a member an opposing party’s campaign team. She said that information had been disclosed to the other campaign.
“I told him that I wanted him to remain as campaign manager but that we were going to have to figure out a way to address the security of information on the campaign.”
Polak said she was surprised to hear of Hauptman’s resignation in the media after their meeting. It comes one week before the provincial election.
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