CALGARY - Just a day after Danielle Smith heralded the professionalism of her candidates, an anti-gay post on a Wildrose candidate's blog has gone viral.
In a post written last June titled, "Born this way," Edmonton-South West candidate Allan Hunsperger, who is also a pastor, and his wife warned against accepting gays and lesbians for who they are.
They wrote that gay people should change and "accepting people the way they are is cruel and not loving," also saying that if they don't change, they will "suffer the rest of eternity in the lake of fire" - i.e. hell.
The post has Alberta Premier Alison Redford blasting the rival Wildrose party.
Redford told reporters in Calgary Sunday that she's shocked that a candidate running for office in this day and age could hold those kind of views.
"The fact that these are people that think that's a legitimate perspective, just absolutely blows my mind," Redford said.
She added that is the kind of social issue Albertans need to worry about if the Wildrose party wins the April 23 election.
Others have also been quick to condemn the post.
"I'm shocked and horrified that a candidate running for public office would hold these kinds of blatantly discriminatory views," says Kris Wells of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies.
Wells, who studies and speaks about gay issues, feels strongly that Wildrose leader Danielle Smith should do more than just apologize.
"She needs to immediately remove this candidate from this election," he says. "There's no going backward with these kinds of hateful comments."
Smith says she won't be removing Hunsperger, though. She argues his views are from nearly a year ago and in keeping with his religious beliefs.
"You have to accept that there's a diversity of viewpoints in society," Smith says. "You can't just say you are tolerant of the people who agree with you."
She re-iterated that her party would not enact legislation involving moral issues.
"Mr. Hunsperger understands that as well."
In his post, Hunsperger also criticized the Edmonton Public School Board. EPSB has a commitment to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for staff and students, specifically mentioning the gay community. Hunsperger questions this philosophy in his blog post, saying educators believe people were born gay and have a right to die that way. He goes on to say that's the blind leading the blind, concluding that public education is godless, profane and wicked.
On Sunday afternoon, the EPSB board chair Dave Colburn called those words outrageous and offensive.
"I would support - what I think is appropriate - is a complete retraction of that blog. And even an apology to some of our sexual minority populations that would view that blog as threatening and offensive," he said.
Global News tried contacting Hunsperger for a comment on his blog, however, he did not return our calls. Later in the day, he posted the following statement:
"Recently, a blog posting I had written in the past has been widely circulated and has caused some controversy regarding my personal religious views.
The views I expressed in this blog posting are my own personal religious views and were given in the capacity as a church pastor.
I fully support equality for all people, and condemn any intolerance based on sexual orientation or any other personal characteristic.
I also entirely support Danielle Smith in her commitment that a Wildrose government will not legislate on contentious social issues."
Hunsperger's blog entry has since been removed, but you can read it below:
With files from Fletcher Kent, Global News
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2012.