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Canadian Minister Deletes Gay References


Jason Kenneyx180 (Canada) | Advocate.com

Tory citizenship and immigration minister Jason Kenney edited out references to gay and lesbian rights last year in a Canadian government manual for immigrants applying for citizenship.

According to The Province of British Columbia, reports say that Kenney ordered the deletion of two paragraphs in June pertaining to the decriminalization of homosexuality, nationwide marriage equality, and nondiscrimination against gay people. The paragraphs were to be added to the new 63-page study guide that replaced a 1995 version.

“According to the Canadian Press, the draft included this paragraph under a section titled Towards a Modern Canada: ‘Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 and more recently, civil marriage rights to same-sex couples was legalized nationwide in 2005,'" reports The Province.

“Under the section on citizenship rights, the earlier draft said: ‘Equality Rights — Canadians are protected against discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age.’”

A senior official tried to reinsert the two paragraphs before the manual was published in November, but Kenney refused to yield, according to The Province.

Kenney, who represents a district in Calgary, opposed marriage equality when it was debated in Canada.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Shoot'em & send'em to their maker
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 8:57:46 PM
    Hometown: anywhere but where they are

    Comment:

    Another moron that needs the five cent solution. Just to make sure - one can still buy a bullet for a nickel, right?

  • Name: Dan
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 8:13:56 PM
    Hometown: Pittsfield

    Comment:

    Someone is struggling with his sexuality north of the border too.

  • Name: J.L.
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 8:00:59 PM
    Hometown: Toronto, ON

    Comment:

    "One person on another site points out that those who act this way are often hiding more than homophobia. Kenney is single and 40 and opposes same sex marriages. Is there something in his closet that he needs to bring out and air?" --jimbovideo in the Toronto Star; Mar. 2, 2010.

  • Name: Richard
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 6:31:44 PM
    Hometown: Cornwall, ON

    Comment:

    I ought to add, as a Canadian, that Minister Kenney was, if I'm not mistaken, previously best known as being famous for bragging about being a 40-year old virgin who's still waiting for the right woman to come along...methinks he doth protest too much...

  • Name: Doug
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 6:17:41 PM
    Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD

    Comment:

    Perhaps the minister is another dinosaur who will be dying out before long.

  • Name: Michael B
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 5:58:56 PM
    Hometown: Montreal

    Comment:

    As a french speaking Canadian I will be voting for the Separatist Bloc Quebecois Party to show my disgust of this vile idiot who would like to hide to new arrivals that Canadian laws legalized Gay Marriage, and that Gay Rights are protected by the Supreme Court of Canada. The Bloc Quebecois has been the most vocal in Quebec to denounce this flagrant omission of Gay Rightsin this guide for Immigrants. Anyways thank goodness in the not far off elections this minority Gouv't will be kicked out off office FINALLY!!

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 5:52:02 PM
    Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    Here's the "Conservative" here's the "limited government" guy- trying to rewrite history like a nazi and imposing his own historically and socially misguided value system on the law- which as a "Christian" he is supposed to respect. But then again, fundamentalist prejudice has little to nothing to do with actual sane forms of heritage and government such as Christianity and Conservatism.

  • Name: Matt
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 4:13:43 PM
    Hometown: Toronto

    Comment:

    The Minister saw fit to include paragraphs about the failed 1837 Rebellion of Upper Canada, and the importance of the Beaver as a national icon, but thought it appropriate to remove mention of equality for gays. This document is a study guide for new immigrants to write their citizenship test. Considering that many of these people are coming from countries where gay rights are NOT the norm, isn't it more relevant for them to know about the diversity of Canada and gay rights rather than learn obscure historical facts that most Canadians forgot about 30 seconds after reading about it in their high school history books?

  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 2:29:18 PM
    Hometown: Santa Monica

    Comment:

    Kenney is not only a homophobe, he is a liar. He told Helen Kennedy of Egale Canada that gay rights had been "overlooked" when the guide was being prepared. Overlooked, my ass, they were censored out of the guide on his own orders. The man is without honor.

  • Name: Brian G
    Date posted: 3/3/2010 1:49:00 PM
    Hometown: NY NY

    Comment:

    So essentially what this man has done in his "official capactiy" of Immigration Minister is edit the study guide used for people who wish to take the citizenship test to become Canadian citizens; removing mention of Canada's advances in extending human rights. It doens't change the laws in any way, it simply doesn't educate people on the law. This is the equivalent of say the US Secretary of State ordering the edit of ALL US History textbooks and removing any reference to the Civil Rights movement of the 60s. What a hooser, eh?



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