TOEWS: RESPONSIBILITY IS TO RULE OF LAW, NOT TO GOVERNMENT - Julius Grey: Under the rule of law the courts interpret our Constitution
February 7, 2006
Ottawa. In response to Prime Minister Harper's appointment of Vic Toews as Canada's new Minister of Justice, renowned human rights lawyer Julius Grey is calling on the Justice Minister to reassure Canadians  Full Text

Election 2006: Equal marriage not part of Conservative mandate
January 26, 2006
The big news about the recent federal election is not what happened, it’s what didn’t happen. The Conservatives, while they won “the prize” of forming the next government, did not make the huge gains expected.  Full Text

Harper victory narrowed by marriage issue
January 24, 2006
Stephen Harper has ridden a wave of anti-Liberal sentiment and will become Canada’s 22nd prime minister. However, despite polls last week suggesting he might win a majority in Parliament, he wound up with only a minority, and with a lower...  Full Text

STEPHEN HARPER in his own words
January 21, 2006
January 21, 2006: Today’s Globe and Mail featured a two page ad titled “Stephen Harper – in his own words.” The ad features the text of a speech Mr. Harper gave to the Council for National Policy in Montreal in June 1997.  Full Text

Analysis of Vote Marriage Canada endorsements
January 20, 2006
Vote Marriage Canada, an organization dedicated to taking away from same-sex couples the right to civil marriage, has now endorsed candidates in 209 ridings. Egale has analysed the results and found the following.   Full Text

Harper bashes courts once again
January 19, 2006
Stephen Harper has bashed Canadian courts once again. He said yesterday that some judges appointed by the federal government are activists working to promote their own social agendas. Mr. Harper made these comments a day after he said a Conservative...  Full Text | In French

Layton is on top, Harper on bottom
January 19, 2006
Pun aside and (sort of) unintentional, Layton does come out on top while Harper is a bad, bad, bottom. Jack Layton, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) scores A+ for his stances on lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified (LGBT) issues.  Full Text

Open Letter to Stockwell Day, Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic
January 18, 2006
In many countries around the world, lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people face arrests, torture, and even death because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. People living with HIV/AIDS face stigma, discrimination and human rights...  Full Text

104 Law Profs ask Harper for Supreme Court reference
January 17, 2006
Yesterday 104 law professors from across Canada wrote an open letter to Stephen Harper saying that his plan to re-open the equal marriage debate will lead to “legal confusion, a lack of uniformity, and unnecessary, protracted and costly...  Full Text

Open Letter to The Hon. Stephen Harper from Law Professors Regarding Re-Opening Same-Sex Marriage
January 16, 2006
Dear Mr. Harper, You have made clear that, if you become Prime Minister, your government will ask Parliament if it should re-define marriage to take away from same-sex couples the right to civil marriage.  Full Text | In French

Cindy Silver misrepresenting herself
January 16, 2006
Cindy Silver refuses to admit she’s personally anti-gay, stubbornly asserting that in all her years of anti-gay activism she was simply doing her job. However, Egale has learned that Silver was part of a group of individuals who lobbied MPs...  Full Text

Rondo Thomas: Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
January 16, 2006
A video has recently surfaced showing Ajax Pickering Conservative candidate Rondo Thomas whipping up his troops in the battle against equal marriage for same-sex couples. As the top lieutenant of Defend Marriage Coalition leader Charles McVety, Mr....  Full Text

David Sweet hides his Promise Keeper past
January 16, 2006
From 1998 to 2004, Hamilton area Conservative candidate David Sweet was the President of Promise Keepers Canada, the Canadian arm of the U.S.-based evangelical Christian organization. He stepped down January 31, 2004, in order to run in the last...  Full Text

Egale grades party leaders on LGBT issues
January 12, 2006
Each election, Egale rates party leaders and candidates on their stance on lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified (LGBT) issues. Egale analyzes voting records, public statements and other actions, and also distributes a candidate questionnaire....  Full Text | In French

The two promises that would lead to chaos
January 12, 2006
Conservative leader Stephen Harper has promised, if he becomes Prime Minister, to introduce another vote on the definition of marriage, even though Parliament decisively dealt with this matter this past summer.  Full Text

Egale supports call to preclude Parliament from using the Notwithstanding Clause
January 10, 2006
At last night’s leaders’ debate, Paul Martin promised his government would amend the Constitution to prevent the federal government from using the notwithstanding clause.  Full Text

Egale asks Harper to clarify murky position on notwithstanding clause
January 8, 2006
In an article published in the Toronto Star on January 5, professors Jerome Black and Bruce Hicks wrote that Mr. Harper’s promise not to use the notwithstanding clause to take away equal marriage may be temporary  Full Text

L’élection fédérale : il existe une autre façon de voter
January 1, 2006
Nous aurons à peine digéré notre repas des fêtes et récupéré de la célébration du Nouvel-An alors que les divers partis politiques...  In French

Harper Pledges No Notwithstanding on Equal Marriage
December 16, 2005
At last night’s leaders’ debate, Stephen Harper pledged he would never use the notwithstanding clause to take away the Charter right to equal marriage for same-sex couples.  Full Text | In French

Law Professors Say Re-Opening Marriage Issue Now Pointless
December 16, 2005
Constitutional experts reiterate that for Parliament to follow Stephen Harper’s plan to eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry would require the use the Charter’s notwithstanding clause. Now that Mr. Harper has ruled out...  Full Text

Where the Candidates Stand
December 1, 2005
This database lists all federal candidates and their track records on LGBT issues, to help make an informed decision on January 23.  Full Text | In French

Election 2006
December 1, 2005
The federal election will be held on January 23, 2006, and LGBT equality hangs in the balance. We at Egale are doing all we can to ensure the next Parliament continues to advance our equality, rather than roll back the clock.  Full Text | In French

South Africa’s Highest Court Orders Equal Marriage
December 1, 2005
Today a nine-judge panel of the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage is unconstitutional and that the definition of marriage in South Africa must be changed to include same-sex couples. The...  Full Text

Harper wants to Re-Open marriage debate
November 29, 2005
On this first day of the election campaign, Stephen Harper told reporters that he intends to re-open the issue of equal marriage for same-sex couples. He said that if elected Prime Minister he will introduce legislation to exclude same-sex couples from...  Full Text