Dateline: Tuesday, June 22, 2004

If this is what they say in public, what would they say behind closed doors?

“Repulsive” • “Sexual activity” • “Unnatural” • “Mental disorder”

With one week until the federal election, a coalition representing millions of Canadians is calling on people concerned with human rights and equality to imagine a Conservative cabinet.

“The vast majority of Canadians believe lesbian and gay people deserve to be treated with justice, equality and dignity,” said Alex Munter of Canadians For Equal Marriage. “Yet the Conservative front-bench consists of people willing to heap abuse, insults and contempt on lesbians and gays.”

For example:

· “What we are really talking about (is) sexual behaviour”: Stephen Harper (future Prime Minister?)

· “Homosexuality is a mental disorder”: Stockwell Day (future Foreign Affairs Minister?)

· “I find it repulsive”: John Williams (future President of Treasury Board?)

· “This bedroom bill extends benefits based on sexual activity”: John Reynolds (future Government House Leader?)

· “Homosexuality is a repudiation of nature”: Art Hanger (future Minister of Immigration?)

· “Society has a right to discriminate against them”: Dave Chatters (future Minister of Natural Resources?)

· “It is unnatural and totally immoral”: Myron Thompson (future Minister of Justice?)

“No wonder lesbian and gay people, their friends, families and supporters of equality are frightened by the idea of these people meeting in secret with the levers of power at their disposal,” added Munter.

“These people have an unnatural obsession with sexual activity. If this is what they say in public, imagine how they talk about us behind closed doors!”

During the election campaign, Mr. Harper said the Charter of Rights does not apply to lesbian and gay people. He dismissed sexual orientation as a "behaviour" and last Friday said lesbians and gays fighting for human rights have it all wrong: “I reject the idea that this is a matter of rights.”

“It is clear that the Conservative Party’s leading voices, including Mr. Harper, see lesbian and gay people as a collection of sexual acts rather than as taxpayers, citizens, neighbours, family members and co-workers.”

Canadians For Equal Marriage is a national coalition of groups representing millions of Canadians, including the Canadian Association of Social Workers, the Canadian Association of University Teachers, Canadian Federation of Students, Egale Canada, Canadian Psychological Association, Canadian Labour Congress and many others. For more information go to www.equal-marriage.ca.

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For more information:

Alex Munter, National Co-Chair, 613-236-5492

John Fisher, Spokesperson, 613-291-5187

Related addresses:

URL 1: www.equalmarriage.ca

 

Subject Headings

• Gay/Lesbian Issues
• Homophobia