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Queer Ontario Statement on Bill C-51

October 20th, 2016 Comments off

October 19, 2016

 

House of Commons Standing Committee on

Public Safety and National Security

Re: Public Consultation on Canada’s National Security Framework

At the pride march which followed and celebrated the passage of a bill which incorporated the words “sexual orientation” into the Ontario Human Rights Code (1986), two groups where asked to lead that march. One group was the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (CLGRO), which is the predecessor or our group Queer Ontario (QO). The other was a group named the Right To Privacy Committee (RTPC). This symbolizes the degree of importance placed on the right to privacy in our communities.

Accomplishing this success, which was met with tremendous resistance and had been the major focus of CLGRO for 12 years, enabled us to lobby for and eventually win recognition federally in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Resistance to these accomplishments within Canadian society continues. We see Bill C-51 as an example of that resistance and an effort to undermine the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Much as we appreciate the need for the government to protect Canadian public from the threats of terrorism, we keep in mind that a major goal of those threats is to undermine our way of life and destroy those rights and freedoms for which we have so long fought. The aspects of Bill C-51 which undermine the Charter of Rights and Freedoms actually work to support the goals of the terrorists.

I’ll just provide two examples:

First, the Bill expands the definition of security threats to potentially include an extraordinary range of social justice activities.

Second, Canada’s Security Agency, CSIS, was created to erect a buffer between the collecting of information and the ability to act on that information as law enforcement due to the history of past human rights abuses duly recognized. Bill C-51 radically redefines CSIS’s role to one which bears resemblance to a secret state police force with no public accountability. This is not compatible with the most fundamental tenets of liberal democratic states and is in violation of the Canadian Charter.

We entreat the government to repeal the Act created by Bill C-51 and ensure that legislation brought forward to protect the Canadian public from threats of terrorism will also protect those rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Queer Ontario – Bill C-51

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Notice of a Queer Ontario Special General Meeting

October 2nd, 2013 Comments off

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Queer Ontario will be holding a Special General Meeting on Thursday, October 17, 2013, to elect new members to the open positions on the Steering Committee.
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The meeting will be held

On: October 17, 2013, from 6:00 to 6:30 pm
At: Room 303 at The 519 Community Centre
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– Individuals can participate via Skype (please send us your Skype name).
– The 519 Community Centre is fitted for the use of mobile devices.

Check out the 2013 Special General Meeting page for more documents and info, and/or email us at info[at]queerontario[dot]org if you have any further questions.
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We look forward to connecting with you on October 17th!
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Nick Mulé
Queer Ontario Chair
On behalf of the Queer Ontario Steering Committee
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20th Anniversary of Canada’s Child Pornography Law

August 23rd, 2013 Comments off

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Queer Ontario recognizes the 20th anniversary of Canada’s Child Pornography Law.
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Twenty years ago this month, the child pornography provisions in the Canadian Criminal Code came into effect. It was then and remains today a controversial law. As in all issues which affect LGBTQ communities, Queer Ontario will continue to promote critical thinking and challenging debate on a number of social policies, laws and social norms that regulate our communities.  QO stands against child abuse and exploitation of anyone regardless of age, yet we feel that the child porn law and its enforcement should also be a subject of continuing discussions, critical analysis and empirical investigation, all of which are threatened by existing laws on this topic.
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