Canadians for Equal Marriage

Press Release

June 4, 2004

Canaidans for Equal Marriage Calls on Harper to Denounce the Use of Violence Against Gay and Lesbian Canadians

Don’t Hit Us - And Don’t Take Away Our Charter Rights

London—Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, who yesterday made jokes about the roughing up of civil rights activists at a Conservative rally, needs to give Canadians some straight answers.

“Stephen Harper needs to do two things,” said Alex Munter, Co-chair of Canadians for Equal Marriage. “First, he needs to denounce the use of violence against gays and lesbians. Second, he needs to tell Canadians how far he would go to take away our civil marriages. Would he take the unprecedented step of using the Notwithstanding Clause to trample our Charter protection?”

“It’s hard to imagine that a political party that tolerates hitting gay people would think very hard before taking away our protection under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” added Mr. Munter.

At a Conservative rally in Guelph yesterday, representatives of Canadians for Equal Marriage Laurie Arron and Bob Smyth were physically attacked when they tried to ask Mr. Harper their question. Canadians for Equal Marriage representatives Pat Shanahan and David Heaton were at the Delta Armoury Hotel in London today to ask the question again.

“Mr. Harper seemed determined to avoid answering our question,” said Pat Shanahan, London representative of Canadians for Equal Marriage. “We were outside and Mr. Harper walked right by us. I asked him whether he would invoke the Notwithstanding Clause to deny Charter protection to gays and lesbians. He ignored us and kept walking.”

“Mr. Harper has said that the Notwithstanding Clause is a legitimate tool to be used by a Canadian government, even though no federal government of any stripe has ever used it,” said Laurie Arron, Political Coordinator of Canadians for Equal Marriage. “Canadian courts have been clear, discrimination against lesbian and gay Canadians violates our Charter.”

“We are determined to get a clear answer from Mr. Harper,” said Cicely McWilliam, Outreach Coordinator for Canadians for Equal Marriage. “Canadians have a right to know.”

For more info:
Alex Munter, Canadians for Equal Marriage, (613) 236-5492
Laurie Arron, Canadians for Equal Marriage, 416-928-1238 (o), 416-839-7178 (c)
Cicely McWilliam, Canadians for Equal Marriage, 416-928-1238 (o)
Pat Shanahan, Canadians for Equal Marriage, (519) 860-5135
Joanne King, PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) London, (519) 319 6934

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Canada's LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.