The federal Liberals have denounced the new chief of staff to the Tory environment minister, saying his past comments on gay rights and Muslims disqualify him from holding the post.

During Question Period, Liberal interim leader Bill Graham said the appointment of Darrel Reid as the chief of staff to Rona Ambrose was an "affront to our democracy."

Graham repeated past quotes from Reid, a former president of the social-conservative group Focus on the Family and a former Tory candidate. 

Commenting on the violent demonstrations following the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, Reid said it's "high time that Muslims show the world that theirs is a religion of peace rather than a religion based on threat, intimidation and terrorism."

Responding to Graham, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he would have to see the context of the remarks, but added that everyone in the House agrees that all religions in the world are full of people with good faith and goodwill.

Graham also noted that Reid once compared Ottawa to Nazi Germany. Reid made the remarks when members of Parliament were debating legislation to include gays and lesbians as a protected group under hate-crime laws.

Reid opposed the bill, saying it could penalize and criminalize Christians who expressed opinions against homosexuality.

Reid also once complained that English Canada "could be following Quebec's lead" on attitudes when it comes to "marriage, sexual mores and abortion."

Harper would only say that the Conservative government defends the rights of gays and lesbians.

"At the same time, we also defend the right of people of religious faith to practise their religion and to express their religious views," Harper said.

Liberal MP Lucienne Robillard told the House that Reid had also headed an unnamed organization that disputed the science of climate change.

Ambrose did not respond to the charge, but instead chose to recite what she said were failures in past Liberal environmental policy.

With files from the Canadian Press