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President's Message
REAL Women rarely misses an opportunity to contribute
to the public debate on important issues of our times. This spring
was no exception.
In late April, we appeared before the House of
Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to address
Bill C-11. It was necessary to expose the government's intent to
circumvent public debate and change the definition of spouse and
family in the proposed Immigration Act to include same-sex partners
rather than including it in the Bill itself.
In early June, REAL Women presented a brief in
Ottawa to the Consultation Committee on Custody and Access which
was reviewing amendments to the Divorce Act, as it relates to children
of divorce. The invited feminist groups refused to appear at this
hearing because fathers' groups were also scheduled to appear. This
boycott gave rise to headline news. However, as REAL Women pointed
out in a letter published in the Ottawa Citizen on June 24,
2001:
… many other women took part in the federal-provincial
consultation on custody and access held in Ottawa. All the Justice
Department representatives except one were women. The two divorce
lawyers involved were both women. Child welfare, grandparents groups
and our organization, REAL Women of Canada, were represented by
women. The eleven Department of Justice papers recommended in the
working document were all authored by women except one.
It now appears, however, that the feminist groups
will be permitted a private hearing with the Committee, despite
the fact the Committee had completed its hearings in June 2001,
at a cost of $1.5 million.
In June, our Toronto office sent requests to four
Parliamentary Committees to appear at hearings scheduled this fall.
We applied to appear before the Special Senate Committee on Illegal
Drugs and the House of Commons Special Committee on the Non-medical
Use of Drugs. We also applied to the Health Committee on the proposal
for New Medical Technologies, as well as to the Heritage Committee
studying the state of the Canadian Broadcasting System. We expect
a busy summer researching and preparing briefs for these presentations.
In June, REAL Women joined a coalition of groups
that formed the "No Committee" to oppose Montreal's application
to host the Gay Games in 2006. If the application is granted, the
provincial and federal governments will contribute more than $2
million to this project.
Much of this funding will be used to promote a
lifestyle that is detrimental to one's health. A large survey of
obituaries in 16 homosexual newspapers in the US found the average
age of men dying from AIDS and other causes is 39 - 41 years of
age. One cannot help but wonder why the government continues to
fund a lifestyle fraught with disease when studies consistently
report that homosexuals can successfully leave the lifestyle. (See
Reality, May/June, 2001, page 5, "Homosexuals Can
Change Their Orientation".)
Last month, when the "No Committee" applied
to open an account at the Royal Bank, it was refused. This discrimination
is contrary to our basic freedom of conscience and freedom of belief
and opinion. Is this a sign of things to come in Canada? Will patrons
and organizations have to be politically correct to open a bank
account? (See story, page 5, "Royal Bank Discriminates Against
Pro-Life/Family Organizations".)
We will continue to work hard to represent you
and to be a strong voice for Canadian women and their families.
We are pleased to do so, on a volunteer basis, because we know that
we represent the voice of so many Canadians. Your support, both
financial and moral, means so much to us struggling on these difficult
front lines. Thank you always.
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