Saturday, July 21, 2007

Quebec gay rights group granted UN observer status

Note how it is Canada, not the USA, that is in the forefront of human rights issues. I'm glad at least one of the countries in North America still believes in human rights for all and is not controlled by Christianists:


UNITED NATIONS - Canada came out swinging in favour of a Quebec gay rights activist group yesterday, successfully lobbying for the United Nations to reverse an earlier rejection of the group by a UN committee dominated by Muslim and developing countries.

Canada's Hugh Adsett said the UN should be where "diverse voices" can be heard, and "even if some governments don't agree with some (activists), they should not be excluded," note-takers reported. The charge led to UN approval for the Coalition Gaie et Lesbienne du Quebec to receive observer status at the world body.
"We're surprised and happy," said Yvan Lapointe, CGLQ executive director, who said his group now planned to use the UN as a platform to spread homosexual rights to many of the same countries that voted against it.

"It may take many years in places like Egypt, where there's been extensive persecution, or Iran, where they hang homosexuals," he said. "We'll not only be reaching out to homosexual activists in those countries, but we'll be asking our government why we're trading with them and others."

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