Pink Press

 

February 6, 1996

Q5

 

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Treasury board of Canada grants same sex benefits

_ by Dia Richardson

In Ngyember 1995, a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
was passed between the Treasury Board
of Canada and the major public service
unions, which granted some same-sex
partner benefits to the union members.
While some people would consider this
a progressive move for the Government
of Canada, for the Public Service
Alliance of Canada (PSAC) it was not
enough.

PSAC refused to sign the
Memorandum of Understanding on the
grounds that, whatever its intent, it

proposed, as an alternative, a MOU that
guaranteed that spousal benefits are to
be provided without regard to sexual
orientation for all applicable collective
agreement items as well as for the Public
Service Health Care Plan. This would
be accomplished by the elimination of
the phrase “of the opposite sex” from
the definitions of “common-law spouse”
and “spouse”.

The MOU, as proposed by the
Treasury Board, was passed regardless
of PSAC’s objections on November 16,

‘1995. While PSAC still refused to sign,

agreement. There have been recent wins
at adjudication”.

Sinclair also felt that for PSAC
this also a strong women’s issue. She
explained that, “there has been a close
tie in with the women’s movement since
the 1980’s as PSAC has a high
composition of woman employees, At
the last National Women’s Conference
lesbians were recognized as a special
interest group along with women of
color and disabilities”.

History:
This is not the first time that the

 

 

 

constituted continued government has been
Girect CiscriMiNation — yevommwwnsonnsanennessnn challenged on their
based on sexual definition of a
eas ae These challenges have been increasing in ftir aa
objections to the revent years as more homosexuals fight for employees. For
proposed MOU. First, their rights years homosexual
that the union groups and
members in same-sex individuals have

spousal relationships
would only be entitled to a portion of
the leave and benefit entitlements which
members in a heterosexual spousal
relationship (common-law or marriage)
already receive. Secondly, that the
members would receive this lesser
package based on the recognition of a
“partner” rather than a “spousal”
relationship.

For months before the MOU
was passed, PSAC tried to communicate
with the Treasury Board. They

 

 

 

they also in no way impeded
implementation of the policy. While
they welcomed the access to leave
benefits, they felt the MOU did not go
nearly far enough.

Kay Sinclair, Co-president
PSAC Surrey Tax Centre Local and a
member of the PSAC Lesbian and Gay
Support Group states that, “we will
continue to be activists by having
affected members file grievances to
obtain rights under the collective

5416.

out.

been fighting the
government to obtain benefits and to
fight discrimination under the Human
Rights Act. (In fact, it has been almost
25 years (August 1971) since 100
lesbians and gays marched to Parliament
Hill—the first gay political action on the
Hill.) These challenges have been
increasing in recent years as more
homosexuals fight for their rights.
Cases such as Egan v. Canada
‘95, in which James Egan fought to
obtain spousal benefits under the Canada

Th al

Queer sports

by Miguel Strother

For those of you in the gay and lesbian community who are activity seeking
to become involved in a sporting activity, we at the Other Press are happy to
provide you with a small list of gay- and lesbian-only sporting clubs.

The Cutting Edge gay-only Hockey team is currently in its first year of
operation. They have two teams and are always looking for new players with
hockey experience. For more information call 253-6780.

“Vancouvers Gay Volleyball Association” is running leagues for players
of all abilities. A drop-in league is also offered on Friday nights starting at 6 PM
at King George school. The cost is $5 and players are accepted on a first come
first serve basis. For more information please call 290-0133.

For those who enjoy the tortures of long distance running, Front Runners
Running Club may be worth calling for information. The phone number is 681-

If none of these activities are your bag but you wish to find an athletic
activity that is, come on down to the office and we will see if we can’t help you

Pension Plan Act, have
received wide media
attention. This fight was
under way for eight years,
through varied
courthouses, multiple
decisions and a final split
court, when the Supreme
Court reached it’s decision
on May 25, 1995. Since
then a documentary has
been made and aired on
James Egan’s story titled
“Jim loves Jack.”

Currently:

In January 1996,
the Reform Party lashed
the government for
agreeing to pay
compensation to gay
employees who had
previously been refused leave to handle
partner-related responsibilities. In the
second week of January the government
announced that it had agreed to pay $500
as “moral prejudice” compensation to
homosexual employees who had
complained to the Canadian Human
Rights Commission.

~ - Note: the government only
agreed to this compensation after the
Treasury Board MOU of last November.

On January 15, lan McClelland,
Edmonton Reform MP and public
service critic, accused the government

Jim |

 

of trying to sneak in legal recognition
of same-sex couples against the will of
Canadians and Parliament. He cited a
free vote in the Commons last
September that went 124-52 against a
motion to legally recognize such
relationships.

McClelland said, “Canadians,
however tolerant, do not want the
government of Canada to officially
recognize same-sex partnerships as
being the equivalent to marriage.”

      

oves Jack

by Daniela Zanatta

indecency.

and lesbians to

the 60s because

Jim Egan and Jack Nesbit have been a couple
for almost 50 years. Egan and Nesbit became a couple
back in the 40s during a time where it was a crime to
be gay. The media labeled homosexuals as sexual
deviants and the police arrested gays for gross

Egan began a letter campaign in the late 40s
and 50s sending letters arguing for equality for gays

the media and politicians. This was

the start of a long battle to change the views and laws
on homosexuality. Egan stopped his campaigning in

of the disruption it caused their lives

and the lack of response from the gay community.

When Egan turned 65 he took up the battle

eight year battle

again. His quest was to receive spousal benefits
through his old age pension plan. This turned into an

through the courts. The final decision

came in 1995. Egan and Nesbit were denied same

sex benefits.
Jim Love

s Jack: The James Egan Story, a

documentary depicting their lives, will air on the
Knowledge Network on Thursday, March 7, at 10 pm.

 

~~