CLC calls on federal government to pass C-38 before summer

The Canadian Labour Congress today called on the federal government to immediately pass its law to recognize equal marriage.

In a letter to all political party leaders, Ken Georgetti, who was re-elected President of the country's largest labour organisation this morning, says that any further delay, or amendment of the legislation, would be an unacceptable weakening of the equality rights of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gender citizens.

Georgetti also chastised Conservative leader **>Stephen Harper<** for his indecent proposal to trade off the rights of Canadians for an early summer vacation.

Earlier this week, a call for immediate passage of same sex marriage laws received the unanimous support of the almost 2000 delegates attending the Canadian Labour Congress convention in Montréal.


TEXT OF THE LETTER:

For over two years Parliament has delayed taking action on the issue of equal marriage which has been affirmed by courts all across Canada.

At the Canadian Labour Congress Convention in Montreal, over 2000 delegates, representing unions, federations of labour and labour councils from across the country, unanimously adopted a resolution which calls on the government to immediately pass the legislation to recognize same sex marriage, without further delay and without amendments that will only weaken the equality rights of our gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gender citizens.

The proposal by the leader of the Conservative party to trade off action on a fundamental human right so that Members of Parliament can get an early vacation is not only unacceptable, but extremely offensive.

On behalf of the 3.2 million members of the Canadian Labour Congress and their families I want to stress that it is time for all members of parliament to immediately move forward on this issue.

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents over 3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada's national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 137 district labour councils. Web site:
www.canadianlabour.ca.