The Dominion - homophobia

Honduran LGBTT activist and coup resistor Walter Tróchez killed

dawn — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:34:56 +0000

12.15.09.funeral_Walter_1.jpg

Prominant LGBTT activist Walter Tróchez was assassinated by gunmen in Tegucigalpa on Sunday, marking the 10th murder of a gay or trans activist since the June 28 military coup.

According to journalist Dina Meza, police did not visit the scene of the killing until more than 12 hours after Tróchez was killed. Meza wrote that his murder is "being managed with all the negligence possible by police investigators."

Tróchez was kidnapped and beaten on December 4, but managed to escape. According to sources close to Tróchez, police did not investigate the kidnapping.

From a letter Tróchez wrote less than a month before his death:

Conservative Post

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 23:44:19 +0000

Postal Worker Facing Disciplinary Action After Refusing to Deliver Homophobic Pamphlet

The title of the pamphlet in question is "The Prophetic Word: The Plague of this 21st Century: The Consequences of the sin of Homosexuality (AIDS)." photo Tim Dawks

[This article will also appear in the December issue of Briarpatch]

A letter carrier in Vancouver who refused to deliver a homophobic pamphlet for Canada Post in late October may be facing termination.

The conflict within Canada Post began on October 26 when the letter carrier refused to process a pamphlet, published by a Baptist Mission in Ontario, entitled, "The Prophetic Word: The Plague of this 21st Century: The Consequences of the sin of Homosexuality (AIDS)."

According to Eric Aldridge, a postal worker from a different Vancouver station, the 200 pamphlets were slated for delivery in only one area of Vancouver, the Commercial Drive district—a well-known queer community. The letter carrier in question refused to deliver the pamphlet, stating that it violated the collective agreement between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post regarding discrimination. He quickly received notice that he would be interviewed for disciplinary action and in a manner of days was suspended for delay of mail.

Because walking off the job would be considered a wildcat strike, workers decided to take a 15-minute 'coffee-break' to protest the letter carrier's treatment. After returning and talking with management, they were told that, "No one would be forced to distribute the pamphlet." However in later interviews with the Vancouver Sun, Canada Post spokesperson Colleen Frick stated that the pamphlet would get delivered—eventually. She said the pamphlet was "acceptable and appropriate" and that Canada Post "does not censor" the mail.

According to Aldridge, that is not true. Recently, Canada Post has refused to distribute ad-mail coming from an adult sex shop as well as political information from the "Sex Party," which ran in the last B.C. provincial election. Lillian Au, Communications Manager for Canada Post's Pacific region, stated that in both those cases, Canada Post did, in fact, censor mail. However, she argued that this was due to legislation in the Canada Post Act allowing for the censorship of sexually explicit mail. Regarding censorship of the pamphlet, "Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms," she said.

But Ken Mooney, President of CUPW, feels that Canada Post is selectively enforcing the rules. "They're not paying attention to their own policy," he said, referring both to Canada Post's human rights policy and the collective agreement. Both documents state that sexual discrimination is not acceptable in the work environment.

Canada Post backed down from forcing employees to deliver the pamphlet, taking the extraordinary step of having management hand-deliver it themselves.

Though they do not have to deliver the pamphlet, the postal workers' fight is not over. On November 1, the letter carrier that originally refused to deliver the pamphlet was given a second interview for disciplinary action, this time accusing him of giving a copy of the pamphlet to CBC. Because ad-mail carries the same classification as First Class Mail for Canada Post, the letter carrier has been accused of stealing mail and is therefore facing termination. The CBC and the letter carrier deny a pamphlet was given, though both claim that the CBC received a photocopy. The CUPW is fighting the proposed termination.

When asked if the carrier would be fired, Au refused to comment, stating only that there is an ongoing investigation that can't be discussed because it is a "protection of privacy" matter.

Gwalgen Geordie Dent is a Vancouver-based journalist from the Commercial Drive district.

A postal worker is facing disciplinary action after refusing to deliver a homophobic pamphlet. Gwalgen Geordie Dent investigates.

Anti-Hate Legislation Passed

Sat, 27 Sep 2003 21:33:38 +0000

by Daron Letts

Svend Robinson in Parliament.

Bill C-250, an Act to include "sexual orientation" in existing hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code, passed in Parliament on September 17 by a decisive vote of 143-110. Svend Robinson, MP for Burnaby-Douglas, first tabled the bill in 1990.

"As I sat there watching the votes being counted and as I realized that the bill was going to pass, I was thinking about friends who had been gay bashed, beaten and murdered - and I thought, in a small way, hopefully, the passage of this bill will make the lives of gay and lesbian people a little more safe and respected," Robinson told The Dominion a day after the vote. "I think it is absolutely safe to say that Canada now leads the world in recognition of equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people and that is something we should all take a sense of pride in."

Vancouver has one of the only police forces in the country that maintains statistics of hate crimes based on sexual orientation. In 2002, these accounted for 62 per cent of the city's total hate crimes. Queer activists increased pressure on the government to pass Bill C-250 following the vicious murder of Aaron Webster in Vancouver's Stanley Park two years ago.

"Based on what we see [here], we believe that there is a need to have legislation for hate crimes against individuals based on sexual orientation," said Vancouver Constable Sarah Bloor.

The queer liberation struggle in Canada has not ended with Bill C-250.

"As long as young gay people take their own lives and feel alone and alienated and lacking in support from their family and their friends and their church and other institutions, we still have a lot of work to do," said Robinson.

"Gay and lesbian people in many parts of the world have to hide their existence in order to survive. They are beaten, they are sometimes tortured and executed, and so, whenever we get complacent and think we have really made it here in Canada, we just have to remember that there is still so much work to be done for our brothers and sisters around the world."

Robinson was first elected to parliament in 1979, and came out publicly during a CBC interview in 1988. At the time he was one of only four openly gay elected national politicians in the world.

» Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere

» Rabble.ca: Hate Crimes Put To A Vote

» Aaron Webster

Martin Calls Civil Unions "Acceptable"

Sat, 23 Aug 2003 20:50:03 +0000

As Paul Martin gets closer to becoming Prime Minister, concerns about the fate of the same-sex marriage bill due come before parliament shortly increase.

Martin recently spoke about the same-sex marriage issue saying that civil unions would be acceptable, as distinct from marriage as prescribed in the Ontario Supreme Court ruling from earlier this summer. Toronto statistics show that between June 10 and July 15 same-sex marriage licences made up 12% of the licences issued, but with public opinion moving closer to 50-50 many MPs are shifting away from supporting the bill. Websites devoted to tracking how MPs are currently lined up to vote show 146 in favour and 155 against. This has prompted advocacy groups to launch lobbying efforts to ensure the passage of the bill. Failure of the bill would not change the law established by the courts in Ontario and BC freeing gays and lesbians to marry, but the political message would be unfavourable.

--NOEL BALDWIN

National News Briefs

Sun, 27 Jul 2003 05:25:48 +0000

Deportations and WTO in Montreal

The Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees, a Montreal activist group, has accused the federal government of "systematically" denying Palestinian refugee applications, while deporting hundreds of refugees already living in Canada. Many Palestinians in Canada have come from refugee camps in Lebanon, where the living situation is dismal. Palestinians in Lebanon are restricted from working in 78 professions. Palestinians are treated as second class citizens in many middle eastern countries, and are unable to return to Palestine proper, as it is not recognized as a state. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has consistently stated that the Palestinian right of return must be forfeited as a condition of peace negotiations. Around 300 people attended a July 19 protest against deportations in Montreal.

Palestinians protesting deportations in Montreal: unable to return home, many Palestinians have spent their lives in refugee camps. photo: Montreal Muslim News (more photos)

Meanwhile, a large coalition of activist groups has been preparing for a World Trade Organization ministerial to be held in Montreal in preparation for meetings in Cancun, Mexico later this summer. Many groups are using the meeting as an occasion to discuss a broad range of issues, from intellectual property rights to indigenous sovereignty. Teach-ins and workshops will be held for the duration of the meetings. Other groups plan to disrupt the meetings directly. --DOJ

* * *

Manley Pulls Up Short

When he made the announcement he would seek the Liberal leadership, John Manley, an avid marathoner, claimed that he was in this race to finish. This week when he announced he was withdrawing his candidacy for the leadership there were not sporting analogies, but an appropriate one might have been "No Mas," (no more) the words of boxer Roberto Duran upon recognizing that he was clearly outmatched by Sugar Ray Leonard.

Many pundits say it's not that Manley withdrew that's surprising, but that he stayed in so long in the face of the overwhelming evidence that the Liberal Party wants Paul Martin. Martin enjoys huge support in the party with Manley polling in second place in the teens throughout most of the race, and third candidate Sheila Copps struggling to crack double digits. Martin is also the most supported politician in the nation to become the next Prime Minister with polls indicating a huge difference between his support and all of the other federal leadership candidates.

Manley's withdrawal leaves Copps as the only pretender to Martin's throne and the Prime Ministership. The two could not be viewed more differently as Copps has always represented the Liberal left-flank. Martin was a fiscally conservative Finance Minister and is connected to the business interests that support the Liberal Party. Copps is a long serving member, one of the few who survived the lean Mulroney years. In the leadership race she has never been seen as a true contender, something Manley pointed out early on, and certainly should she remain in the race to the end is unlikely to pose a serious threat to Martin at the leadership convention.

That Martin isn't seriously challenged is representative of his long held ambitions to be Prime Minister. Martin ran for the leadership against Chrétien in 1990 and has been preparing to assume the leadership since. Martin has spent years stacking riding associations, the federal party executive, and campus youth wings, among others. He chased off Alan Rock and Brian Tobin, the two most serious challengers only 18 months ago, without much of fight. Despite the Prime Minister's wish to prevent Martin from assuming his role there's little he can do about it, but attempt to sabotage his first election by staying in office until the bitter end. --NB

* * *

Pride in the Name of Love (and Marriage)

Summertime brings with it innumerable events not otherwise possible in Canada during the long dark winters. Among the festivals, outdoor concerts, and summer water sports, parades to celebrate Gay Pride are common across urban centers in Canada. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Moncton all host their own Gay Pride Parades. This year's celebrations are marked with a new excitement following the announcement that Canada will become the fourth country to amend the legal definition of marriage to allow same-sex marriages.

Estimates of the numbers in attendance at this summer's Pride Parades have been impressive. Estimates in stodgy Ottawa were at more than 5,000 in attendance to watch and support the local gay, lesbian, transgendered community celebrate their lifestyle and the new found freedom to wed. Several couples in the parade wore signs saying, "Just Married" which drew loud cheers from the crowd.

A recent Ontario court ruling has ruled that the narrow definition of marriage as being constituted between a man and woman only contravenes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The governing federal Liberal Party has announced they will not appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court and will draft new legislation on the subject shortly. The Commons Justice Committee was in support of the Liberal direction, with the exception of the Canadian Alliance members of the committee.

The Pride Parades have been subject to some protest. The Ottawa parade was followed by two men carrying signs bearing scripture decrying homosexuals as deviants. Encouraging news from recent polling information suggests that they are among a minority of Canadians as most support the expansion of marriage to include same-sex couples. Protest has also been heard from south of the border where Canada has once again become the target of angst of a number of conservative religious movements, including the Reverend Fred Phelps, a homophobic US church leader, who for the second time in three years has promised to come to Canada and burn the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill. --NB