A B.C. Liberal candidate who wrote an email more than a decade ago in which he said he did not support homosexuality says a lot has changed since then and he's now much more tolerant.

Marc Dalton, an elementary school teacher and the Liberal candidate in the riding of Mission-Maple Ridge for the May 12 B.C. election, sent the email to a colleague in 1996 in the midst of a raging debate over same-sex marriage and education.

B.C. New Democrats seized on that email Friday and demanded that the Liberals remove Dalton as one of their candidates in the upcoming provincial election.

Dalton apologized for the email but did not offer his resignation and insisted that he's a different man than he was when it was written.

"I would say that I've become much more tolerant, much more open," he said in an interview Friday.

"It's not something I would write now. There's been a lot of change since then."

An NDP spokesman said the email came from a former colleague of Dalton's and it arrived in a brown envelope.

"I'm not against homosexuals as people, but I do not support their lifestyle choice," says the email. "I believe homosexuality is a moral issue."

It says most people agree on moral issues like respect, honesty, and kindness, and most people do not condone behaviours and acts such as rape, robbery, pedophilia and incest.

But "there are other moral issues that large segments of our society do not see eye to eye: gambling, abortion, adultery, pornography," it says. "I believe that homosexuality fits in this category."

The email says many, many people hold homosexuality to be an "improper and high-risk behaviour," but doesn't condone violence against "these people."

Dalton said it was never intended to be offensive or hurtful, but he could understand how it could be misconstrued.

He said he's always tried to respect the diversity in communities and the contributions of people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

"I anticipate having colleagues that are gay and it's essential for me to have a good rapport, to work together, with teachers, as an MLA or with my constituents," he said.

Dalton said he recognizes and applauds the significant contributions of the gay community and wouldn't want to cause offence to them or anyone else.

"It was never my intention to pass judgment on any individual and I have always been respectful of every individual's right to privacy and self-expression."

He said it's not his intention as an elected official to impose his personal values in any event, or "to revisit an issue that has been historically divisive and that our communities have endeavoured to move beyond."

It was enough for Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell, who did not ask Dalton to step down.

"First of all, I can understand why this would be hurtful to people. I'm sure that he's as sorry as everyone else is," Campbell told reporters. "He's issued an unequivocal apology.... I accept the apology."

The French immersion teacher represented the federal Conservatives in the 2006 federal election but was not allowed to run for the Tories last year, despite winning the local nomination process. The party did not give a reason for refusing Dalton's candidacy.

Spencer Herbert, the incumbent MLA and NDP candidate in Vancouver-West End, considered the heart of the city's gay community, said Campbell should denounce the comments and fire Dalton as a candidate.

Last weekend, the NDP candidate in Vancouver-False Creek stepped down after racy photos posted on his Facebook site came to light.

Last fall's federal election saw candidates from across the political spectrum felled by online gaffes and embarrassing situations from their past.

Three federal New Democrats, two Tories and two Liberals stepped down during the race for everything from a decade-old skinny dip to online videos showing them smoking up.

"Gordon Campbell said that his party had a vigorous screening process, so either this candidate chose not to disclose these kind of comments or they're acceptable to Campbell's Liberals," Herbert said.

"If Mr. Dalton hid his homophobia, then I think he should be asked to resign.

"They should do the right thing and denounce these comments and ask the candidate to step down."

Campbell said the Liberals did not know about the email, despite a rigorous vetting process.

"This is a 12-year-old email," he said. "We do our best in terms of the vetting process but we don't often go back more than 10 years."

Dalton said he learned the email had come to light Friday while campaigning but didn't seriously consider stepping down.

"I know where I stand right now. I know the type of person I am, though the NDP are trying to make it seem that I'm such and such a person, I feel like this is totally contrary to the type of person that I am," Dalton said."

It was a tough day for the Liberals on the campaign trail.

In addition to the call for Dalton's resignation, Public Safety Minister John van Dongen announced his licence had been suspended over speeding tickets.

Van Dongen was responsible for the Insurance Corp. of B.C. and the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, which suspended his licence. Both have been transferred to the Labour Ministry.