Showing posts with label canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canada. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

CANADA IMPLEMENTS FIRST GAY FRIENDLY HOTLINE TO REPORT HATE CRIMES


Brampton Ontario, has implemented the first hotline for the LGBTQ community in North America. This hotline is for those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people to call in if want to report a hate crime.

This is pretty big stuff here!

Insp. Brian Cryerman of the Peel Regional Police diversity relations unit says the initiative will make it easier for people to come forward with complaints.

Cryerman says people should still dial 911 for crimes in progress.

The recorded hotline will be monitored by diversity relations officers, and callers will be contacted within 24 hours. [SOURCE]

Being from Toronto, which is beside Brampton, I have to say I am impressed. I am actually impressed that Brampton is the one to have come out with this first. I would have thought it would have been Toronto. Oh Well, I am glad this is place and soon all provinces will follow.

Monday, August 25, 2008

CANADA'S CAPITAL SHOWS ITS PRIDE!!

"O Canada!" 35000 people came out to celebrate Pride in Canada's Capital Ottawa this past weekend. Woot Woot!!

Rainbow flags of all shapes and sizes wound their way through Ottawa with the 35,000 people who turned out for Ottawa's 19th annual gay pride parade Sunday afternoon.

Thousands of spectators gathered to watch around 1,200 members of the city's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community and their supporters, some elaborately costumed and others scantily clad, march along Wellington Street to city hall as part of the final day of Capital Pride, their week-long annual community festival.

Julien Lavoie, a spokesman for Capital Pride, said the parade, which paused at the Supreme Court and the Parliament Buildings, was partly intended to send a political message.

He said those Ottawa buildings are the sites of major battles for gay and lesbian rights.

"So it's important for us to keep remembering that and celebrating those victories," he said.

"And then it also has kind of a looking-forward message, saying maybe this is not enough and maybe there's still some inequalities that gays and lesbians face."


Capital Pride closed Sunday night after a day of concerts at the Festival Plaza. [SOURCE]

Thats Brilliant. So Excited to see that many come out. I know Ottawa is not so populated as Montreal or Toronto but hey.. at least they had a good showing!!

Friday, August 8, 2008

ANTI-GAY PHELPS GROUP DENIED ENTRY TO CANADA


LOL.. When I read this I laughed so hard. I don't usually Hate a lot of things but this group, who was founded by Fred Phelps is something I do Hate.. They are down-right disgusting group of people who say they are following God but proclaim Hate.

Anyways.. The great news is that they were barred from entering Canada.. SUCKERS!!!

The Canadian Press and the Canwest News Service both report that the group, from Rev. Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, were turned back when they attempted to enter Canada at a border crossing south of Winnipeg on Thursday.

The Canadian government has not commented on the reports, but Pat Martin, a New Democratic Party member of Parliament from Winnipeg, says he asked Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day to send an alert to the border patrol to look out “for people with signs and pamphlets that fit the hateful messages that the church promotes and to keep them out of the country.”

Canadian hate laws give the government the power to deny entry to people likely to violate the law. The so-called church was listed as a hate group under the law following previous protests.
Phelps, who runs the “God Hates Fags” website, had threatened to picket the Winnipeg funeral of a man decapitated on a Greyhound bus. Another passenger is charged with the sensational killing.

Phelps had threatened to protest the funeral of Tim McLean to show Canadians the murder was God’s response to liberal Canadian policies toward homosexuality.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, Phelps’ daughter and a frequent spokesperson for the “church” confirmed to both Canwest and CP that a small group of protesters was stopped at the Canada-U. S. border Thursday afternoon.

They won’t let us in, but we have a group that will cross in another spot,” she told the Canwest Winnipeg Free Press. “They’ll have to strip search everyone who crosses that border or they won’t know who we are. They’ll have to see the WBC [Westboro Baptist Church] tattoo on our butts.”

In addition to the threatened protest at the McLean funeral the group had said it would demonstrate in Toronto where a satirical play titled “The Pastor Phelps Project” is being performed. No members of the church showed up for the demonstration, which had been planned for Thursday evening. Westboro Baptist members frequently demonstrate at funerals for American servicemembers killed in Iraq. The group claims the deaths are God’s punishment on America for being too pro-gay.

Westboro’s members are made up mostly of Phelps’ relatives. Although it professes to be Baptist it is not affiliated with any national Baptist group.

Westboro operates Web sites including GodHatesFags and GodHatesAmerica and has been described as a cult.

Phelps and the church first came to national attention when he organized a protest by his followers outside the 1998 funeral for Matthew Shepherd, the gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming. The killing, Phelps’ protest, and the reaction of townsfolk led to the play “The Laramie Project.”

Church members routinely demonstrate at the funerals of people with AIDS and most recently at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. [SOURCE]
Serves them right. I am sorry again they disgust me.
Anyone else agree?

Thursday, July 17, 2008

GAY MARRIAGE EXCLUDED IN U.S. 2010 CENSUS

Sparks are flying in the States right now because in the 2010 census gay marriage will not be included. I guess since it's only two states that have allowed it, loses to the majority. Sad.. Man, the U.S. needs some lessons on Equality.. GEESH..

The Census Bureau says the federal Defense of Marriage Act bars the agency from recognizing gay marriages in the nation's 10-year count, even though the marriages are legal in Massachusetts and California.

The agency's director, Steven Murdock, said in an interview Thursday that the 1996 federal law "has that effect, in terms of being a federal agency. We are restricted by it."

The Census Bureau does not ask people about their sexual orientation, but it does ask about their relationships to the head of the household. Many gay couples are listed in census figures as unmarried, same-sex partners, though it is an imperfect tally of all gay couples. [SOURCE]

What do you guys think about this? I feel like we have a long long road ahead of us before we are seen as equals but meh.. its just my sexuality.. does not make me, ME...

Monday, July 7, 2008

A GAY WEBSITE FOR SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES

Scandinavian Airlines seems to be focusing on the LGBT community to help boost sales. This is the way to work it people! Seems like the airline hopes to attract tourism to the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has become the first in Europe to launch a website designed especially for the LGBT community.

The site, which includes nightlife tips from the airline's cabin crew, is aimed at the non-Danish gay community and hopes to attract tourism to the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

The website, in coordination with webpage Copenhagen Gay Life, business owners, bars and clubs aims to provide a gay-friendly guide to the city, promoting Copenhagen as the new hot gay tourist destination.

It also provides a link to the tourist centre Visit Copenhagen which has a calendar of events, gay-only bed and breakfast listings and gay tour operators. [SOURCE]

I have heard the night life in Copenhagen is really good for the LGBT community as well. I like this step forward. Now we just need Air Canada to climb on board... Why not?? Canada is diverse too.. we need to spread our gay love too!!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

CANADIAN SOLDIERS REPRESENT IN TORONTO'S PRIDE PARADE 2008

A Couple days late but i wanted to post this because this is another example of why being Canadian rocks!!! This past Sunday, members of Canada's Armed Forces represented the military in Toronto's annual Gay Pride parade For the first time.

Lt. Steven Churm, one of 10 soldiers from across the country who marched in
uniform, said their presence sends a message that the Canadian military is
inclusive and an equal-opportunity employer.

"The message to the public is that the Canadian Forces is an employer of
choice. We have employment opportunities that people can pursue, regardless of
gender identity, sexual orientation," he told CBC News.

"For our own members, they can be proud of what they're doing and also be proud of who they are."

To mark its place in the festivities, the Canadian Forces set up an information booth in an area of the city where thousands of people gathered for the start of the parade. [SOURCE]


Pride 2008 in Toronto was amazing. Great time with my friends and boyfriend. Shout out to my friends Chris, Jenia, Ashley, Denis and even Kathryn who showed up.. and to my friend Mike who is all the way in the Philippines, you were missed this year!!

Pride was SWEET!!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Wishing Everyone a Happy Canada Day.. Although i am working right now (I work for an american company) i want to wish you all a GREAT DAY. Enjoy it.. This country rocks.. One of the best places to live.. By Far!! Love You Canada.. Well everything except the cold and snow.. MUHAHAHAHA

Thursday, June 26, 2008

GAY ADS AT THEIR BEST

Over at AfterElton.com, i came across some interesting Ads that represent the Gay Community. These come from all around the world. Even Canada has an ad that makes me proud. Check them out below!!
BMW, Outstanding Print/Outdoor Ad - Mainstream Market
Paris Tourism, Outstanding International Print/Outdoor - GLBT Market
Canadian Tourism Commission, Outstanding Travel Campaign - LGBT Market
"The Commercial Closet Association has released the Fourth Annual Images In Advertising Awards Nominees. The picture above is called "Tan Lines", and is one of the nominees in the category of "Outstanding Travel Campaign", and there are many other categories, including "Outstanding TV Campaign" and "Outstanding Interactive Ad"." [SOURCE]

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

ONTARIO FUNDING QUEER HEALTH


Well this is one of the reasons i am glad to be Canadian.. Woot Woot.. Read an insert here:

"There's a new organization pushing for queer-friendly healthcare in Ontario. Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO) is now running training and outreach projects out of its new headquarters at Toronto's Sherbourne Health Centre, although it's not expected to launch officially until fall...The provincial ministry of health has committed to funding RHO to the tune of $600,000 per year until 2010. Part of that money will pay the organization's staff"

For Full Story Click
[HERE]