 Topic: Alberta last province ensure gay rights
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aManOnaJourney
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| Posted: 04 May 2009 at 4:01pm | IP Logged
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Alberta has introduced legislation that critics say will make it the last province in Canada to enshrine gay rights in its human rights code.
New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason says it’s shameful that Alberta had to be dragged by the courts to make this change, which has already been in place for many years in some provinces. “They have been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century by the courts,” Mason said.
In 1998, Alberta lost a high-profile court battle and was ordered by the Supreme Court of Canada to add sexual orientation to the human rights code.
But there’s a controversial twist to the legislation introduced by Alberta’s Progressive Conservative government to settle this long-standing battle over gay rights.
The Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Amendment Act will also give parents the right to exclude their kids from parts of the education curriculum that they don’t agree with, including anything to do with same-sex relationships.
Premier Ed Stelmach concedes this opting-out provision could be used to pull students out of classes dealing with evolution if parents preferred their kids be taught what’s in the Bible instead. “The parents would have the opportunity to make that choice,” said the premier. “The discussion among the caucus was that … parents would make the best choice for their children.”
Liberal human rights critic Laurie Blakeman said this threatens to fracture the system if parents start pulling their kids from classes if they don’t agree with what’s being taught.
“I think that the government has opened a huge can of worms with this,” Blakeman said in an interview. “Do we have students graduating with the same instruction? No we won’t. We will have a complete patchwork. It’s a mess.”
Check out the discussion on 365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/news/alberta-is-last-canadian-province -to-enshrine-gay-rights/
Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Amendment Act
proposed legislation: http://www.assembly.ab.ca/bills/2009/pdf/bill-044.pdf
What are your experiences with being glbttq person and living in Alberta?
Send your MLA and the government minister a note saying you oppose the education
Use the Alberta Rite line 310-0000 to reach any government office, Minister, or MLA's office for FREE
Ed Stelmach, Premier
premier@gov.ab.ca
fortsaskatchewan.vegreville@assembly.ab.ca
FAX: 780-427-1349 Dave Hancock, Minister of Education, MLA for Edmonton-WhitemudConstituency Office: #203, 596 Riverbend Square, Edmonton, AB T6R 2E3 Phone: (780) 413-5970 Fax: (780) 413-5971 edmonton.whitemud@assembly.ab.caLindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit MLA for Calgary-North WestConstituency Office: #29, 735 Ranchlands Blvd NW, Calgary, AB T3G 3A9 Phone: (403) 216-5444 Fax: (403) 216-5442 calgary.northwest@assembly.ab.caDavid Swann, Alberta Liberal Leader, Calgary-Mountain View MLA Shadow Minister for Health and Wellness, calgary.mountainview@assembly.ab.ca
Constituency Office: #102, 723 14 St NW, Calgary, AB
Phone: (403) 216-5445 Fax: (403) 216-5447
calgary.mountainview@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature Office Phone (780) 427-2292
Laurie Blakeman, Edmonton-Centre MLA
Deputy Alberta Liberal Leader, House Leader
Shadow Minister for Environment, Culture and Community Spirit
Legislature Office: Phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency Office: Phone (780) 414-0743
edmonton.centre@assembly.ab.ca
Brian Mason, New Democrat Leader, Edmonton-Highlands MLA
edmonton.highlandsnorwood@assembly.ab.ca
Rachel Notley, Edmonton-Strathcona MLA (New Democrat)
Edmonton.Strathcona@assembly.ab.ca
Bridget Pastoor, MLA Lethbridge East (Liberal)
lethbridge.east@assembly.ab.ca
Bridget.Pastoor@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (403) 320-1011
Dave Taylor Calgary-Currie MLA (Liberal)
calgary.currie@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (403) 246-4794
Harry Chase, Calgary-Varsity MLA (Liberal)
calgary.varsity@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (403) 216-5436
Kent Hehr Calgary-Buffalo (Liberal)
calgary.buffalo@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (403) 244-7737
Hugh MacDonald, Edmonton-Gold Bar, MLA (Liberal)
edmonton.goldbar@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (780) 414-1015
Kevin Taft Edmonton-Riverview, MLA (Liberal)
edmonton.riverview@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (780) 414-0719
Darshan Kang, Calgary-McCall, MLA (Liberal)
calgary.mccall@assembly.ab.ca
Legislature office: phone (780) 427-2292
Constituency office: phone (403) 216-5424
~~~~~~~
Government of Alberta http://alberta.ca
Contacting your MLA http://alberta.ca/home/mla_contacts.cfm
Alberta Liberal Caucus http://www.albertaliberalcaucus.com
Alberta Liberal Party http://www.albertaliberal.ca
Alberta NDP Caucus http://www.ndpopposition.ab.ca
Alberta NDP http://www.albertandp.ca
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aManOnaJourney
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Joined: 30 July 2006
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| Posted: 11 November 2009 at 12:25am | IP Logged
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THE CHILD’S RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION: Bill 44 Revisited
Nov 26, 2009 (Thurs) ~ noon - 2 pm
Room 2370 Murray Fraser Hall, University of Calgary
A panel discussion to mark International Human Rights Day and the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Speakers will address:
- A child’s right to a good education
- The public interest in well-educated citizens
- How does parental control figure into this equation?
- Young Albertans’ views on their right to an education
Janet Keeping, Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership (www.chumirethicsfoundation.ca)
Linda McKay-Panos, Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre (www.aclrc.com)
FREE PUBLIC EVENT Light lunch will be provided
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"What have you done today to make you feel PROUD?"
(Proud by Heather Small, Queer as Folk Soundtrack)
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