by Roy Dahl
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 12/97) - Gays and lesbians in the NWT have served notice they don't intend to take rejection lightly.

"The Northwest Territories in the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not protect the rights of gays and lesbians," said Zoe Raemer, president of Out North, a group representing some 40 Northern gays and lesbians.

The group has been lobbying the territorial government to expand the legislative definition of spouse to include same-sex partners. A motion that would have recognized those rights was defeated by the legislative assembly two months ago.

At the time, several MLAs said they feared supporting same-sex rights would endanger their re-election chances.

"The debates surrounding the issue gave us a clear indication that the attitudes some of our politicians have towards gays and lesbians are not in keeping with the moral or legal conscience of the rest of the country," she said.

Raemer added recent efforts in Newfoundland to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation should remind Northerners that changes to long-standing legislation are coming.

Prince Edward Island and Alberta are the only two other jurisdictions in the country without similar legislation on the books, said Raemer. Human-rights tribunal decisions in favor of homosexual rights have been made, however.

She said legislation that would protect the rights of individuals, including gays and lesbians, needs to be introduced in the NWT soon. She supports the introduction of an individual rights protection act.

"Right now, we have legislation in place that is well-intentioned, but has no teeth," she said, adding that the issue has now become a priority for groups like Out North across the country.