"I wish to apologize completely and without reservation for the personal comments I made in an interview yesterday with Peter O'Neil of the Vancouver Sun. "I retract the statement I made indicating I would support a bill to criminalize homose xuality. I do not believe that homose xual behaviour should be criminalized or that homosexuals should be persecuted. "I apologize for linking the homose xual community with pe dophilia. I was wrong to draw such an inference. "I apologize to my colleague Svend Robinson. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Robinson as both an individual and as a parliamentarian. "Lastly, I apologize to Stephen Harper, the Canadian Alliance Caucus and supporters of the soon-to-be formed Conservative Party of Canada. I take full responsibility for my comments. They do not, in any way, reflect the views of my leader nor my party. This is why I volunteered to withdraw from the Canadian Alliance Caucus. "I will not be making any further public comments on this issue." THESPENCE
