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Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien to Receive International Role Model Award at Equality Forum 2005

Contact: Michael Pomante, 215-732-3378, or Malcolm Lazin, 215-732-7375, both of Equality Forum

See Also: Urgent - Anti Equality Bill in Parliament

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "As Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chretien championed same-sex marriage," stated Malcolm Lazin, executive director, Equality Forum. "In 2003, then Prime Minister Chretien called on Canadian citizens to support marriage equality. This impressive support by Mr. Chretien demonstrates the importance to Canadians of minority rights and separation of church and state."

"We are honored to bestow our 10th annual International Role Model Award to Jean Chretien," according to Joe Farrell, chair, Board of Directors, Equality Forum. "Mr. Chretien will attend to accept the award and speak about international GLBT civil rights." The award will be presented on Friday, April 29 at the National Constitution Center, Independence National Historical Park at Equality Forum 2005.

An ANTI- Equal Marriage Bill is Coming to Parliament on Nov. 26th !

MP Lobby Kit!

See also: 5 Minute Action - Same Sex Marriage

Parliament will soon vote on legislation to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples. Rob Moore, (Con) for Fundy, NB, has introduced Bill C-268. This Private Members Bill would define marriage as “the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all other persons”.

Last time Parliament voted on heterosexual marriage, we came within five (5) votes of losing. Our vote count suggests that this one will be just as close!

Supporters of equal marriage must mobilize and tell our MPs that they should not support this unconstitutional bill.

Critics call province cowards for failing to cover sex-change surgeries

Keith Leslie
Ottawa Citizen

Thursday, November 18, 2004

TORONTO -- Ontario's Liberal government has "chickened out" of reinstating medicare coverage for sex change operations for fear of a public backlash, deputy NDP leader Marilyn Churley charged Thursday.

Churley accused the Liberals of backing off a pledge while in opposition to restore funding for the procedures, which left numerous patients in the lurch when they were delisted by the previous Conservative government in 1997.

See also: Transgender Day of Remembrance

"They promised they'd reverse that decision," but backed out amid a storm of controversy over the more heavily publicized -- and criticized -- move last May to delist chiropractic services, physiotherapy and eye exams, she said.

"They reneged on their promise because they were cowards."

AIDS foot-dragging

San Francisco Chronicle - November 19, 2004

http://www.aegis.org/news/sc/2004/SC041106.html
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IN THE war against AIDS, this should be good news: A consortium
of wealthy countries meets in hard-hit Africa to launch programs
to fight the epidemic.

But it's not working as smoothly as that. Foot-dragging by
Washington, by far the biggest check-writer to the Global Fund to
Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, nearly shut down a long
list of projects.

What's going on is typical of a political sideshow that undercuts
the war on AIDS. The infighting imperils the fragile existence of
dozens of countries depleted by the uphill fight against the
disease. The jockeying also delivers a blow to the image of the
United States, the one country with the money and medicine to
make a difference.

For the record, the White House hasn't ignored AIDS.

President Bush is on track to spend $15 billion on care and
prevention in 15 countries where results can be studied

Prostitute attacked in Victoria

Prostitute attacked in Victoria

See also: Prostitutes' 'stroll' urged for Victoria

November, 17 - 6:21 PM
VANCOUVER (CKNW/AM980)-- A Victoria prostitute has been attacked by one of her customers.

Police say the incident occurred near Douglas and Discovery at around 6 o'clock Wednesday morning.

The suspect apparently hit the woman on the head, held a knife to her throat and choked her till she passed out. The victim suffered a half-inch cut on the left side of her neck.

Police are looking for a white male, about 20 years old, 170 pounds, with short dark brown curly hair. He was wearing a white shirt and blue sweat suit.

Experts end three-day crystal meth conference armed with more information

Experts end three-day crystal meth conference

Greg Joyce
Canadian Press

See Also: Crystal Meth News and Forum

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - Users of the highly addictive and increasingly popular drug crystal methamphetamine can be treated successfully, experts concluded following a three-day conference on the synthetic drug.

"It's a difficult road but we heard from experts that it is possible to treat meth users and there is hope of reversing serious damage caused," said chairwoman Joanna Ashworth at the conclusion of the Western Canadian Summit on Methamphetamine.

The three-day conference didn't conclude with any significant announcements but a panel will continue to work on a "consensus document" to try to map a strategy to fight the invasive drug.

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORTS ON PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATION PROCESS

VICTORIA – The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has listened to almost 1,800 British Columbians during its annual consultation process regarding next year’s budget. The level of participation has set an all-time record for public input to any legislative committee in British Columbia and has resulted in 19recommendations addressing the key fiscal and budgetary priorities of British Columbians.

The all-party committee held 17 public hearings across B.C. In total, 244 witnesses made presentations at a public hearing, while 220 provided a written submission. For the first time, 1,335 individuals submitted their input electronically through the committee’s new online consultation site.

“Overall, British Columbians were pleased with the work government has done in balancing the 2004 budget and in generating a larger-than-expected surplus this fiscal year,” said committee chair Bill Belsey, MLA. “We heard that government should continue its sound fiscal management to promote further economic growth and opportunities across the province and to target some of the available funding for people in need.”

Irish Prime Minister and Dublin Catholic Archbishop Back Homosexual Spousal Rights

Lifesite

DUBLIN, November 16, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Irish homosexual activists who came to Canada to 'marry' and are currently challenging Ireland to grant them spousal inheritance rights have garnered support from Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and shockingly from Dublin's Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Commenting on the case to the Irish state television RTE, Ahern said, "They say: 'We want more equality and we want to be treated fairer.' I agree with that. I totally agree with that. These people who are in relationships which are not illegal, they're not immoral, they're not improper. We should try to deal with some of the issues they have to surmount in their daily lives. And I think that's the fairest, caring and Christian way to deal with this."

Archbishop Martin was questioned by the Irish Independent newspaper on Ahern statements calling granting the spousal rights the "fairest" and "Christian way to deal with this."

Increase in disabled benefits still doesn't cover Liberal cuts

Victoria News

By Brennan Clarke

Cash-strapped disabled people aren't about to turn down extra money from the provincial government.

Then again, the benefits of the extra money have to be weighed against a range of other Liberal cutbacks that have dipped into the disposable income of disabled people, say advocates for mentally and physically challenged people.

"Seventy dollars is $70 dollars, but many of the people we deal with still live in poverty," said Ellen Tarshis, executive director of the Victoria Association for Community Living.

"There have been a lot of cutbacks in non-cash benefits, such as medical supplies for people who live in group homes," Tarshis said. "The Ministry of Children and Family Development has been cutting back its service budget as well.

Depending on the type of disability, our people may need residential support, day support, or some families may need respite care. There are also older families who support adults at home."

Prostitutes' 'stroll' urged for Victoria

Jeff Rud, Jeff Bell and Gerard Young
Times Colonist Wednesday, November 17, 2004

See Also: Legal hooker stroll needed in capital, says MLA

Prostitutes' 'stroll' urged for Victoria

Victoria-Hillside MLA Sheila Orr is urging city council to consider creating a prostitution "stroll" in Victoria, but neither the mayor nor the premier likes the idea.

Orr said that establishing a designated area that sex trade workers could use within specified hours might prevent prostitution from being pushed into residential neighbourhoods and also help to keep sex-trade workers safe.

One potential location would be the end of Store Street, Orr said, although she stressed that is merely a suggestion.

"I think that we should look at a stroll,'' Orr said Tuesday in the legislature. "A stroll would be an area that was designated where sex-trade workers could go within a certain time frame -- that's not 24 hours, that's in a time when they feel that they could get their trade -- and where it would be safer.''