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CANADA CONTRAVENES THE UN CONVENTION ON THE CHILD BY PROMOTING HOMOSEXUALITY

On June 10, 2003, REAL Women participated in a pre-sessional meeting in Geneva of the Monitoring Committee on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. (See Reality, July/August, 2003, "Canada's Pro-Homosexual Policies Questioned at the United Nations.") At that meeting, we brought to the Committee's attention the fact that Canada appeared to be in contravention of several provisions of the Convention on the Child, ratified by Canada in December 1991. The Convention states, among other provisions, that children have the right to their religion and culture, are entitled to have a mother and father, and have the right to full information regarding the protection of their health, as well as the protection of their moral and physical integrity.

In this regard, REAL Women advised the Committee that the pro-homosexual programs taught in some of Canada's schools, especially those in Quebec, Ontario and BC, appear to contravene the Convention in that they fail to acknowledge that homosexuality is an unhealthy life-style and that it is a behaviour that can be changed. We further argued that the adoption of children by same-sex couples is not in children's best interests, since it is detrimental to their psychological, emotional and physical health.

Some members of the Committee asked further questions on this volatile topic, but due to time limitations, we were not able to properly address these concerns at that meeting.

Canadian Delegation Appears Before UN Committee

The Canadian delegation appeared before the monitoring committee in Geneva on September 17, 2003, to respond to questions from the Committee on whether Canada was properly implementing the Convention. REAL Women also attended this September meeting to discuss the issues further with the Committee members, as well as to hear Canada's response to the Committee's questions.

To assist the Committee, REAL Women distributed a second brief to Committee members, providing documentation and further details on the questions that arose during the June meeting. Among other issues we documented were the studies which indicate that same-sex parenting is detrimental to the well-being of children due to the high incidence of violence in same-sex relationships, the higher incidence of mental health problems and of sexual involvement with the children, as well as the greater risk of children becoming homosexual as a result of same-sex parenting.

During their questioning of the Canadian delegation, a number of Committee members wanted to know what steps Canada was taking to ensure that the proposed "restructuring of family" in Canada did not adversely affect children. The Committee also stated that the best interests of children must be the main criteria in any government decision concerning marriage.

In response, a representative from the Department of Justice on the Canadian delegation stated that the pending same-sex marriage legislation, like all other legislation, had been assessed for its impact on children. This was news to us! The draft bill on same-sex marriage was all about adults' supposed equality rights - not about children's best interests. If it had been, the draft marriage proposals would not have seen the light of day.

To follow up on the September 17 meeting, REAL Women distributed a letter dated September 23, 2003, to all the Committee members in which we stated:

Although the homosexual issues involving children have recently become highly sensitive political matters, it is important for us to remember that these matters affect the best interests of children in many ways and in an increasing number of countries. Adoption and the misleading campaigns in the schools should remain open subjects for respectful discussion by those involved. They should also be dealt with without any fear of offending some members of diverse sexual minorities more concerned with their own interests and extreme views.

We strongly agree with the Chairman's concluding comments on the rights of all children in Canada. Contrary to what was said by the Canadian delegation, the consequences of same-sex parenting for children have not been assessed in the country. Also, school children's undeniable right to a balanced view on homosexuality is still not understood by the Canadian government. In spite of our efforts, the rights of the child on these issues and the Convention itself remain of very little interest to the media.

As recommended in our brief, we stated that the committee should invite some of the experts whose studies were referred to in our briefs on the adverse effects of the same-sex parenting.

We concluded by stating that we hoped that the Committee's report to the Canadian government will include some of our concerns and recommendations.

The Committee's report and analysis of the situation in regard to children in Canada will be made public later. We hope and pray that all our efforts in Geneva will bear fruit.

Copies of REAL Women's briefs of June 11 and September 17, 2003 can be obtained from our National Office at a cost of $4.00 or electronically by request to realwcto@interlog.com.

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