Press Release

January 1, 1987(?)

Manitoba’s Attorney General Introduces Human Rights Legislative Changes

The. Attorney-General of Manitoba, Hon. Roland Penner, M.L.A., has introduced a major package of human rights legislative changes in the province of Manitoba. Included in the measures is action to prohibit discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation in the Manitoba jurisdiction.

Manitoba is the third province, along with the Yukon Territory, to take legislative action to protect the lesbian and gay minority under its provincial Human Rights Code.

EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) calls on the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister, the Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn, Minister of Justice, and the Hon. Jake Epp, Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Development to bring forward amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act in accordance with the recommendations of the all-party Parliamentary Committee on Equality Rights. That committee recommended an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. In Toward Equality, the government’s response to the report, they committed themselves to “take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that sexual orientation is a prohibited ground for discrimination in relation to all areas of federal jurisdiction.”

We call on the Hon. Jake Epp, Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Development to act with haste to protect gay men and lesbians, their families, and relatives under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Provincial codes provide no protection for lesbians and gay men in seven provinces and one territory, federal contract employees, employees in banks and financial institutions, transportation, communication, and marine industry employees, and still allows for major gaps in federally funded areas such as the CAP programs which leave out protection in the health employee areas.

For More Information :
Les McAfee, 563-1236 ext. 229 or 230-4391
Keith Hambly, 564-1417
Debbie Hughes, 238-3250

Egale Canada ©2011

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