Last week, a two-decade old recording of Jason Kenney, Alberta’s United Conservative Party leader and one of the most prominent figures in Canadian conservatism, came to light. It contained some deeply disturbing comments.

The tape reveals Kenney boasting of his helping to organize a petition demanding a referendum to repeal an ordinance that gave hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples. This was in San Francisco, when Kenney was a student at a local Jesuit university. It was also during the height of the AIDS crisis, when gay men were dying in agony, and often without loved ones present, because of long-established homophobia. It was a truly horrible time.

Kenney goes on to say on the tape that his work on this issue brought him closer spiritually to the Roman Catholic Church, which is not only deeply shocking but also reveals a grotesque misunderstanding of what it means to be spiritual. Once the tape was released, Kenney said somewhat blithely that, “Sure, there are things that I’ve done and said in my life that I regret.” Forgive my cynicism, but he would say that wouldn’t he.

This story is deeply personal for me. I’ve known Jason Kenney for a long time, and until around five or six years ago I was also a Roman Catholic and shared many of his socially conservative views. But even at my worst, I always insisted that same-sex couples should be allowed civil unions, full inheritance rights, employment protection, and complete visitation privileges in hospital. This was simple humanity, common decency and basic compassion.

People change of course, and I certainly did. I welcome personal, religious, and political evolution, and have little time for those who think that it’s not possible. But words are easy, and are especially flimsy and unreliable when they are forced.

Kenney says he now favours domestic partner arrangements and benefits for couples, regardless of sexual orientation, but that’s still a conservative position given that Canada has legislated equal marriage, and we’ve no idea if this latest statement is an authentic transformation or an act of political convenience.

Because genuine change requires not only contrition but, at the risk of sounding too churchy, some form of penance as well — and Kenney as a Catholic should know this.

He caused enormous pain and suffering to men at their most vulnerable and fearful, who were treated as modern lepers, and suffered the most intense physical and emotional pain until the day they died. They were despised and rejected, lonely and frightened. The very people, in fact, Jesus told us to be with and to care for. That the man who is likely to be Alberta’s next premier, and a possibly future federal Conservative leader, can say that his former beliefs and activism made him more spiritual sickens me to my stomach.

You see Jason, you haven’t paid any price at all for your actions, for your sins if you like. No dent in your career, income, prestige, or success. Not only this, you and the United Conservatives have a strained relationship with Alberta’s gay community, have not been allowed to march in Pride parades, and have been critical of mandatory gay-straight alliances in the province’s schools. And considering the suicide rates for LGBTQ teens, these alliances can quite literally save children’s lives. None of this speaks of a fundamental change of character or belief.

As for trying to compensate for past actions, you had the chance just last month when your longtime friend and fellow conservative, Catholic John Carpay, compared the rainbow flag to the swastika. The Nazis, of course, put gay people in death camps. Yet you didn’t expel him from the United Conservatives, and said that you didn’t have the authority.

Thing is, you have an iron grip of the party, and if you seriously wanted someone gone, they would go. You explained that Carpay had apologized, “and that means something.” Does it? I’ve known John Carpay as long as I’ve known you, and I’m afraid I’m not sure that in this case it does.

There is still time, but it’s not easy, and must be heartfelt and absolute. It’s in your hands now Mr. Kenney, and always has been.

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