QUEER LIBERALS (TORONTO REGION)

Queer Grits
IN THIS ISSUE

Issue 2012-01

Here come the Queers!

Members of the Toronto Queer community have come together to form the rst chapter of Queer Liberals. rough outreach, advocacy and activism in our communities and within the Liberal Party, we will ght to remind Liberals and Canadians alike of the roots of Queer rights in this country. As Queer Liberals, we take it upon ourselves to be ever vigilant in ensuring that Queer rights are represented by the Party and that they are respected by our government. 1) To represent the values of the Queer community to the Liberal Party; 2) To encourage the fair participation of Queer individuals at all levels within the party; 3) To promote the achievements of the Liberal Party in pioneering queer rights in Canada; and thereby: 4) To promote the Liberal Party amongst Queer Canadians and mobilize the Queer community in electing Liberal candidates; 5) To hold the Canadian Government accountable for any and all actions, both foreign and domestic, that diminish the fact that queer rights are human rights; and 6) To put the party back in Liberal Party. In terms of an elevator pitch: e Queer Liberals seek to advance queer rights and participation the best way we ever have: through a strong Liberal Party of Canada in government.

Women &QueerWomen in Politics

Politics is uncomfortable, but every woman in the room left feeling empowered to do something to encourage more of us to just do it anyway. Penny Beames page 2

In so doing we strive:

On April 17th, nearly a dozen Queer Liberals lent a hand to support the 30th anniversary celebration of our beloved Charter of Rights and Freedoms at Torontos Design Exchange.

Charter Turns 30

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Women, Queer Women, and Politics:

by Penny Beames

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follow us on twitter: queerliberals and nd us on facebook!

LIBERAL BIENNIAL CONVENTION 2012

Director of Events/Fundraising Jerry Jarosinski, QL Co-President Brad Lister, former MP Pierre Pettigrew, QL Director of Organisation Kelly Foote, Christopher Ide, and Co-President Penny Beames

Former MP, and great friend to Queer Liberals, Alexandra Mendes, with Brad Lister

Brad, MP for Vancouver Centre, Dr. Hedy Fry, Kelly Foote, Penny Beames, Phillipe Murphy Rheaume and Jerry Jarosinski

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Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms 1. e Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justied in a free and democratic society. 15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benet of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. Although the Charter did not explicitly grant equality rights to gays and lesbians, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled, in Egan v. Canada in 1995, that the Charter would be interpreted in a manner that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. e stage was set for same sex marriage which followed for the whole of Canada, with Liberal Party support, roughly a decade later.

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