SQLFusion - Cornwall Public Inquiry Staff - G-4 communications press release for Canadians for Equal Marriage

April 12, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Parliament rejects Harper exclusion motion;

stands up instead for Charter of Rights and Freedoms

OTTAWA – Canadians for Equal Marriage (CEM) are pleased that
Members of Parliament have chosen to uphold the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms over Tory Leader Stephen Harper¹s alternative - to
discriminate against gays and lesbians. At the same time, CEM is
urging Harper to stop delaying the vote.

The vote on Harper¹s motion to exclude gays and lesbians from the
Charter was defeated in the House of Commons earlier today.

"Parliament has flat out rejected the idea that the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms is selective," said Alex Munter, spokesperson for CEM.
"Now it is time to move on. Members of Parliament have made up
their minds on this issue. Three quarters of Canadians have indicted it¹s
time for a vote. There are many other pressing issues in this country
that deserve Parliament¹s attention. Mr. Harper should focus on those
instead of his next plan of attack - a filibuster."

An independently commissioned poll, released by CEM earlier today,
shows that a striking 76-percent of Canadians want their MPs to stop
debating the equal marriage bill and, instead, bring it to a vote; 70%
of Tories polled expressed the same view.

The debate, now nearly two years old, has been exhausted. The Commons
Justice Committee voted in support of equality after holding
cross-country hearings in 2003. Later that year, in September, the
Commons rejected a Canadian Alliance motion to use the notwithstanding
clause to trump the Charter of Rights. The issue was debated during the
2004 election and, again, in the Commons after the bill was tabled
February 1.

"Today, Members of Parliament made it very clear that the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms trumps Mr.Harper¹s agenda of discrimination and
exclusion,² Munter said. ³Canadians want their MPs to settle this issue
and move on to the many other issues facing our nation."

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For further information:

Marie-Josee Lapointe

613-244-5777 (G-4 Communications)

613-794-4620 (mobile)