[van-announce] QUAK Request for Endorsements

[Queers United Against Kapitalism]

Mayencourt, Campbell, they are all the same.  No Liberals in Pride, No
Liberals in our communities. No Liberals.
ROAST THE LIBERALS
Abort Mayencourt / Lose Lorne

Queers are demanding that gay BC Liberal MLA, Lorne Mayencourt, stand up
for the interests of the community he claims to represent.  Mayencourt,
who prides himself as a hero of the queer community, has supported every
action his government has taken to attack gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered people in this province.  Mayencourt and the BC Liberals
are clearly enemies of the people of this province.

The attacks coming from this government are unacceptable.  We demand:

1) The restoration of the BC Human Rights Commission.
The BC Liberals' proposed Bill 53 will eliminate the BC Human Rights
Commission, along with it protection for marginalized groups such as
queers. Complaints will go directly to the Tribunal; there will be no
investigation of the complaint and access to legal support is highly
questionable.  Hard fought for queer rights have been enshrined through
the BC Human Rights Commission. Governments should be strengthening human
rights; Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals are attacking them.

2) Funding for queer youth support programs.
Our community still faces homophobia and related violence. A
disproportionate number of youth on the streets and youth who commit
suicide are queer.  Groups like YouthQuest! bring an anti-homophobia
message to schools across the province, working to eliminate the abuse
and harassment that queer youth face. This province has recently seen
several homophobic and transphobic attacks and murders, as well as youth
suicides.  Instead of increasing resources to stop these deaths, Lorne
Mayencourt and the BC Liberal government are cutting funding to queer
youth groups like YouthQuest!

3) Health care for people living with HIV and AIDS.
People with compromised immune systems have greater health care
requirements. Cuts under the BC Liberal government have seen medical and
drug costs rise while food programs have been eliminated.  Benefits have
been cut, severely restricting access to necessary nutrition and health
support. These attacks on peoples health care are being carried out by
Campbell, Mayencourt and the BC Liberals.

4) Health care for transgender/transsexuals.
The transgender/transsexual community has witnessed an all out assault on
their ability to access health care.  Hormone prescriptions are no longer
covered.  Vancouver's gender clinic, which provides trans-focused
counseling and health care for the entire province, has been shut down.
Lorne Mayencourt and the BC Liberal government have gutted health care
for transpeople.

5) Re-funding of social services.
Queers are poor, youth, women, single parents, indigenous, people of
colour, immigrants, refugees, workers, seniors and disabled.  All these
groups have been targeted by the BC Liberal government.  People across
the province are being forced out of work, forced to work for sub-minimum
wages, forced to go hungry and homeless.  Mayencourt fully supports the
Liberal agenda of providing tax cuts to a rich minority, at the expense
of social services and public resources that benefit the majority of
people of this province.

We recognize the importance of building an united fight back with all
other groups opposing the brutality being unleashed by Gordon Campbell
and the BC Liberal government.  Queers United Against Kapitalism (QUAK)
is calling a demonstration against the BC Liberal government and Lorne
Mayencourt at the Vancouver-Burrard 1st annual riding association dinner:

Thursday, October 17th - Starting at 5:30pm
Pan Pacific Hotel @ Canada Place, Vancouver
Food Provided

The Liberal party is trying to crush the people of this province, it's
time the people crashed their party.  This government has been
unrelenting in their attacks against our communities; we are left with no
option but to increase our opposition and disruption of this government.
The Liberals must be held accountable wherever they are.  We must
organize across communities and across the province to defeat this
government.  Together we can fight and win.

In Solidarity,

Queers United Against Kapitalism - QUAK

Endorsed by: Anti-Poverty Committee, Alberni Social Justice Group, BC
Coalition of Women's Centres, Canadian Labour Congress (Pacific Region),
Collective Opposed to Police Brutality, Council of Canadians (Coquitlam &
Richmond), Communist Party of Canada, December 9th Coalition, End
Legislated Poverty, National Action Committee on the Status of Women
(BC), New Westminster and Vancouver District Labour Councils, Out on
Campus (SFU), Simon Fraser and Victoria Island Public Interest Research
Groups, Unofficial Opposition, Vancouver Status of Women, Victoria Status
of Women Action Group (SWAG), Women's Low Income Network
___________________

Please forward endorsements to:
QUAK - quak at resist.ca or 604-684-xtra ext.2242

Organization: _______________________
Contact: ___________________________
Phone/Email: _______________________