NEWS RELEASE

May 2, 1996 For Immediate Release

BILL C-33 NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF FLAWED LIBERAL BILLS TO BE REPEALED

"Gay rights bill is anti-family and Liberal social re-engineering on a grand scale."

Ottawa - Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, was extremely angry at the Liberal government for ramming the controversial sexual orientation bill through the House of Commons. "Tolerant, kind, understanding Liberals? What a joke! What is happening in Parliament this week is simply disgraceful. Invoking closure at every stage of debate is no way to build tolerance, understanding and equality. The Liberals are the exact opposite to what they pretend to promote," declared Breitkreuz.

On September 18, 1995 only 18 Liberals supported Bloc MP Real Menard's Motion calling for 'legal recognition of same-sex spouses' which was defeated in a free vote in the House of Commons. In contrast, yesterday only 23 Liberals voted against the sexual orientation bill which will ultimately lead to the legal recognition of same-sex spouses. Was yesterday's vote really a free vote or were they whipped?" asked Breitkreuz.

Justice Minister Allan Rock says adding sexual orientation to the list of prohibited categories in the Canadian Human Rights Act will not lead to "special rights" for homosexuals. But the Supreme Court says otherwise. In a 1993 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a gay man did not have his Charter rights violated when he was denied bereavement leave after the death of his homosexual partner. Chief Justice Antonio Lamer wrote that the refusal of this [spousal] benefit could not be condemned on the basis of family status "without introducing into the Canadian Human Rights Act the prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Indeed, if Parliament had decided to include sexual orientation in the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination, my interpretation of the phrase 'family status' might have been entirely different."

"This proves the Liberal promises in the House of Commons and in public debate that Bill C-33 will not have any effect on the definition of the family, marriage or spousal benefits ring hollow." Breitkreuz demanded that the Liberals put their promises in the bill so all Canadians and the Supreme Court will know exactly what they mean. "I believe this legislation will lead to redefinition of the family, marriage and spouse in Canadian law which in turn will permit gay marriages, spousal benefits to gay couples, gay adoption, restriction of religious freedom and expression, and open the door for sex perverts and paedophiles to seek Charter protection by claiming that their criminal sexual preferences are just another sexual orientation."

"I was sent to Ottawa by my constituents as a watchdog. I'm barking loud and long at how Liberals are intruding into areas they should not be. They are fundamentally changing our country for the worse by attacking the traditional family, the fundamental social and economic unit in our society. History and our future generations will judge them harshly. Reform promised to repeal Bill C-68 when elected. If voters want Bill C-33 added to the list of flawed Liberal legislation that needs to be repealed when Reform forms the government, then C-33 is destined for the dump."

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For more information please call: Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.

Yorkton: (306) 782-3309

Ottawa: (613) 992-4394