On April 3, 2008 the provincial NDP uncovered a video tape from the ’91 Saskatchewan general election, showing Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski making homophobic remarks.  Also on the tape is now-premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall mocking Ukrainian and former premier Roy Romanow:

On the videotape (@ 7:10 on the above YouTube clip), Wall, who jokes about being “filmed for posterity,” does a mock interview with a Ukrainian accent, questioning how Romanow “walks upright with his head so far up his ass.”

Unidentified males also call Romanow a “spineless political playboy” and then-Liberal leader Linda Haverstock “a hard-headed slut.”

Wall first apologized briefly saying “It just never was then, and neither would it ever be, in any way an attempt to slight any group”. He later apologized in the legislature yesterday (here’s a transcript and MP3 download), as well to the Ukrainian community, Roy Romanow and Lynda Haverstock.  Also he has decided not to pursue his lawsuit with the Canadian Press.  While some have praised the speech, one sociology professor at U of Sask says that societal attitudes haven’t changed since 1991:

“The strong language that Lukiwski used probably makes it more
offensive to people. But when you imitate someone’s ethnicity and
disparage them because of their ethnicity, I don’t know what the line
between racism and homophobia is but in my opinion they’re both
offensive behaviours,” said Schissel.

The Tories and Prime Minister Stephen Harper effectively defended Lukiwski by refusing to discipline him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download