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ROYAL BANK OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS ITS POLICY OF DISCRIMINATION

A number of pro-family/life organizations, which includes REAL Women of Canada, Campaign Life Coalition Quebec, The Christian Heritage Party and a French-speaking Protestant Church in Montreal, joined together to form a committee called the "No Committee 2006," in opposition to the lobbying efforts of homosexual organizations in Montreal to have the Gay Games, now scheduled to take place in July, 2006, in that city. The "No Committee" registered its name with the Quebec government and began to receive donations.

However, when Mr. Daniel Cormier, the pastor at the church which was a part of the "No Committee," applied last June to open a bank account at a Montreal branch of the Royal Bank on behalf of the Committee, the bank refused to open an account. (See Reality, July/August, 2001, "Royal Bank Discriminates Against Pro-life/family Organizations, p. 5.)

The bank refused its services claiming that the "No Committee 2006," in objecting to the Gay Games, and to the promotion of homosexuality, contravened the Charter of Rights and the federal Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. It is noted, however, that the Charter also protects a Canadian's right to freedom of conscience, expression, and opinion - the latter of which is the real basis of and fundamental to this case.

Further, a Quebec-based homosexual/lesbian organization, the Quebec Lesbian and Gay Coordinating Council, filed a complaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission again Mr. Cormier and the "No Committee." However, on November 2, 2001, the Quebec Human Rights Commission released its unanimous decision in regard to the complaint, stating that Mr. Cormier and the Committee had not discriminated against the homosexual organization and dismissed the complaint.

Shareholders Propose A Resolution at Royal Bank's Annual Meeting

Two Toronto area businessmen, Dr. Patrick Redmond and Mr. Cyril Fleming, who have shares in the Royal Bank, concerned about the Royal Bank's precedent-setting policy in regard to the "No Committee," proposed a resolution at the bank's Annual Meeting held in Toronto on February 22, 2002.

The resolution stated that since the Royal Bank was a for-profit institution providing services to the public, and since many homosexual political and social demands were controversial and divisive and on which there was no public consensus, the Royal Bank should henceforth establish a policy to provide financial services to individuals and groups, regardless of their religious, political and ideological views.

Royal Bank Attempts to Conciliate

A week prior to the bank's Annual Meeting, senior officials at the bank requested a meeting with the shareholders who were proposing this resolution, in an attempt to have them withdraw it. In return, it was proposed that the bank President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. G.M. Dixon, would give a statement at the opening of the Annual Meeting, that the bank would not, in future, refuse accounts on the basis of political, social or ideological views, providing these views did not contravene the Charter of Rights.

However, the bank proposed that it would continue to stand by its precedent setting decision to refuse an account to the "No Committee" because the latter had discriminated against homosexuals, supposedly contrary to the federal Human Rights Act. This position was taken by the bank, despite the Quebec Human Rights Commission decision that the "No Committee" had not been guilty of discrimination!

As a consequence of the fact that the bank intended to continue its policy to refuse an account with the "No Committee," the two shareholders did not accept that proposal, as it would have required them to concede that the bank was correct in its policy of refusing accounts to any corporation, church (such as the Catholic and Evangelical Christian churches), and the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Conservative Jewish congregations, as well as individual Canadians who are opposed to the promotion of homosexuality, or have religious, political or ideological views with which the bank disagrees.

Consequently, the resolution was placed on the floor at the annual meeting on February 22, 2002, for a vote.

The Royal Bank had obviously advised homosexual activists of the pending resolution as homosexual spokespersons were in attendance at the meeting, including the homosexual activist provincial Member of Parliament, Mr. George Smitherman, who forcefully argued that the "No Committee 2006," was a discriminatory organization since it opposed homosexuality and the bank was right in the denial of its services. The Chief Legal Counsel for the Royal Bank also spoke to the motion stating that since sexual orientation is protected in the federal Human Rights Act, the bank was required to refuse services to anyone opposing homosexuality.

This was indeed a bizarre conclusion because the Legal Counsel knew or should have known that the federal Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination against homosexuality (sexual orientation) in four areas: employment, accommodation, services and membership in associations. There is nothing in the Act which prohibits anyone from having an opinion against homosexuality. In short, the actions of the "No Committee" could not and did not contravene the Human Rights Act.

There were approximately 300 in attendance at the annual meeting and the resolution was defeated mainly by way of the proxy votes (approximately 275,000,000 votes were cast). Most of the proxy votes were held by the President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. G.M. Nixon. The decision of the Royal Bank, therefore, was contrary to common sense, to the facts and the law. One can only speculate why it chose to give this surprise blanket support for homosexuals - denying ordinary Canadians their own opinion on the issue, should they wish to use the bank's services.

The result of this vote is that in future, anyone who opposes the promotion of homosexuality may be refused services in the Royal Bank. The latter bank has truly now becomes officially the bank for homosexuals in Canada.

Conclusion

Anyone who cares about this issue and has an account with the Royal Bank should perhaps consider switching his/her account to a bank that does not have a similar policy. If you choose to do so, please let your bank manager know why you are closing your account and send a copy of your letter to:

Mr. Gordon M. Nixon, President
and Chief Operating Officer
Royal Bank of Canada
200 Bay St., South Tower
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2J5
Tel: (416) 974-4464
Fax: (416) 974-7403

The homosexual lobby group has tightened its hold on the public debate on this highly controversial issue. The politically correct Royal Bank has fallen right into line with its dictates. The homosexuals will continue unless we stop them. One way of stopping them is to let the Royal Bank know that its services are no longer required.

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