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Rosie O'Donnell Offers NFLD NDP Candidate Campaign Contribution |
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Written by Staff
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Monday, 26 December 2005 |
Comedian, actress, and former TV talk show host, Rosie O'Donnell has offered a political donation to Canadian NDP candidate Peg Norman who is running in the riding of St. John's South-Mount Pearl, NFLD. Norman was forced to decline the contribution however because Ms. O'Donnell is not a Canadian citizen.
Norman became friends with O'Donnell after they met in 2000 during a taping of O'Donnell's talk show. Norman's life partner, filmmaker Gerry Rogers was discussing her critically acclaimed and Gemini Award-winning self-portrait film, "My Left Breast". Norman acted as one of the camera operators during the production stage.
O'Donnell's "generous" offer to Norman's election campaign is a reflection of her obvious affection for Canada and this country's forward-thinking on certain social issues including the legalization of same-sex marriage earlier this year.
The popular actress/comedian along with her wife, Kelli visited Halifax in July when the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn made that city one of its ports of call. The luxury liner was carrying close to 2,000 families who were taking part in a gay cruise. The O'Donnells were officially greeted by Mayor Peter Kelly and 10 couples from the ship exchanged marriage vows at Halifax's Pier 21.
Norman, who is running as an NDP for the second time having lost to Conservative Loyola Hearn in 2004, said about the O'Donnell's donation offer, "I think it's interesting that an American would see fit to contribute to a campaign because she sees the threat of the right in Canada", according to the Canadian Press. |
