VoteSecular Response: Stephen Randall, Liberal Party, AB - Calgary Centre North
A response to similar questions from CFI Calgary:
Thank you for your questions which I am pleased to answer by email on
the possibility that I am not able to reach you by phone today.
You have raised some very important and serious questions which
confront our society today, issues which are as important to me as
they clearly are to you. I have been an academic for more than 40
years and as such I believe strongly in and have always followed a
scientific and objective approach to social and economic issues. This
country, unlike what seems to have happened in the US, has always
followed a policy of clear separation of church and state, with the
possible exception of Quebec historically where there was significant
interference in politics by the Church prior to the 1960s.
No I do not give any credence to creationism; it is a matter of faith;
evolution is science. I believe that the Canadian courts have made it
clear that women have the right- after careful consideration and under
proper medical circumstances to abortions in the first trimester. In
spite of the fact that crime rates in Canada have declined
significantly in the past decade, we do need to take a hard position
on those who break the law. There has been a tendency I think to
forget the victims. when I lived in Montreal many years ago my home
was burgled on three occasions by young men- I know what it feels like
to be "violated" in that way. At the same time that we need to be
tough on crime I believe we need to balance firm sentences with
efforts to prevent crime, to ensure that our youth have meaningful
jobs and futures, that we keep them out of gangs, and that after they
offend we try to rehabilitate those who are willing to make the effort
to turn their lives around.
I hope this is helpful to you and I still look forward to chatting
later today if you have time.
With best regards
STephen Randall, PhD, FRSC