It’s now confirmed that author and journalist Chrystia Freeland (pictured) will be seeking the federal Liberal nomination in Toronto Centre for the upcoming byelection to replace retiring MP Bob Rae. Freeland is obviously a brilliant writer and journalist, having penned the influential 2012 book ‘Plutocrats: The Rise of the New
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Queer-liberal: Stephen Harper’s Conservatives take away victims’ rights by passing pro-hate speech bill
While few were looking, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have succeeded in using the weaselly option of a backbencher’s private member’s bill to quietly gut the Canadian Human Rights Act to remove victims’ rights to fight back against hate speech in Canada. A no-name Tory MP’s private member’s bill passed the Senate
Continue readingQueer-liberal: 2nd Toronto Pride Week LGBT Short Film Festival launches Monday
After a very successful inaugural run in 2012, I’m very proud to be organizing the Canadian Media Guild’s 2nd Toronto Pride Week LGBT Short Film Festival, which starts tomorrow. I’ve been working with other CMG volunteers to select a collection of great recent short films with LGBT themes, contact filmmakers
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Inside Out film festival wraps: My favourite flicks this year.
The 23rd Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival wraps today. I’ve been a patron of the festival since I moved to Toronto in the 1990s. This year was a great success on many fronts with many good films getting a Toronto or Canadian premiere. I took in seven programs which
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Lessons learned after the B.C. election: the NDP can’t win in most parts of English Canada…
This article by Chantal Hebert sums up some of my feelings about the NDP in the face of their stunning defeat in British Columbia last night. Here are my lessons learned from the B.C. election campaign: 1) Canadian pollsters have no real idea which way Canadian voters are going to
Continue readingQueer-liberal: ‘The Golden Pin’: Cuando las tradiciones se interponen en el amor / ‘The Golden Pin’: When traditions stand in the way of love
I recently did an interview with the Latino queer website UniversoGay about my short film, ‘The Golden Pin,’ which has turned into a hit on YouTube. I posted the 16-minute short film there on October 24, 2012, and in six short months, it’s attracted over 900,000 views! At this rate,
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau fights back with ‘Channel Change’ TV ad
Canadians are fair people. They understand that 40-somethings just elected to new, massively challenging leadership roles need time to continue to grow and do their jobs. In response to Trudeau’s overwhelming popularity with Canadians, the fearful Conservatives under Stephen Harper launched TV attack ads last week trying to undercut that
Continue readingQueer-liberal: I’ll be voting for Joyce Murray even though I hope Justin Trudeau wins Liberal leadership…
I’ve always been a left-leaning Liberal. I’ve always been slightly anti-establishment. Since I was a recently out university student, I’ve always wanted to push the Liberal Party to be more activist, more open and more progressive. Those blue Liberals who believe in little more than lower taxes, deregulation and the
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Canadian House of Commons approves transgendered rights bill
I’m really glad this bill passed the House of Commons today. But the close vote – 149 in favour, 137 against – is slightly disturbing. But then again, we have a strong, stable, secure Conservative majority under Stephen Harper, who regrettably was among the 137 opposed. I guess we’re lucky
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Canadian Supreme Court upholds anti-hate speech laws in case against Bill Whatcott
I’m quite pleased with this morning’s ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada against Bill Whatcott’s dissemination of hateful, anti-gay flyers in Saskatchewan in 2001 and 2002. Whatcott had been found guilty of breaking the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code’s hate speech provisions and fined thousands of dollars in penalties. However,
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Media should re-think term "openly gay", perhaps use the term "out" to describe Kathleen Wynne…
When Kathleen Wynne won the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party in late January, it was historic. Not only would Ontario have its first female premier, Canada would also have its first “openly gay” premier. They didn’t refer to her as Canada’s first “gay” premier because, in fact, she wasn’t.
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Special message to state broadcaster Sun Media & Brian Lilley: Evangelicals and Catholics are not the same…
Canada’s state broadcaster Sun Media has been going to bat for the Conservative Party this week against their political enemies. Conservative Party spokesman Brian Lilley has been obsessively attacking NDP Leader Tom Mulcair this week for questioning the government’s funding of Crossroads Christian Communications. This evangelical group has been receiving
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Ontario News Watch Op Ed: Backroom Negotiations By Party Elites Chose Wynne As Liberal Leader. But Is That Really The Best Way To Choose A Premier For All Of Ontario?
I was very proud to be asked by ONW Editor Susanna Kelley to write today’s op ed piece on the recent Ontario Liberal leadership election process. Please check it out here today or read below: Op Ed: Backroom Negotiations By Party Elites Chose Wynne As Liberal Leader. But Is That
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Party elites, not grassroots members, chose Wynne for Ontario Liberal Leader…
The recent Ontario Liberal leadership convention in Toronto was enjoyable to attend. It gave me the opportunity to re-connect with dozens of Liberals I’ve known over the years. It also provided great drama as it produced a new leader and premier for Ontario, Kathleen Wynne. This story today by Ontario
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Great day as British House of Commons votes in favour of legalizing same-sex marriage.
Britain’s Parliament voted today 400 to 175 to legalize equal marriage in the United Kingdom. The government-proposed bill would enable same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, provided that the religious institution consents. The bill bitterly divided David Cameron’s ruling Conservative Party, but enjoyed huge support
Continue readingQueer-liberal: My short film ‘The Golden Pin’ plays with ‘A Silk Letter’ at Carlton Cinema this week…
A few years back, I co-produced and co-wrote the award-winning short film The Golden Pin with my friend, director Cuong Ngo. It won Best Canadian Short at the 2009 Inside Out film festival in Toronto and then went on to screen at over 40 international film festivals, as well as
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Former New York mayor Ed Koch dies at 88
Closet case! Coward! We’ve heard all these words today and long before to describe Ed Koch, who served as New York City’s mayor during the 1980s. According to the folks who made the 2012 documentary “How to Survive a Plague”, his “callousness…at the very epicenter of the AIDS crisis…failed,” so
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Kathleen Wynne’s amazing speech to the Ontario Liberal convention yesterday…
For those who didn’t see Kathleen Wynne’s speech to Liberal delegates yesterday morning, you should definitely give it a watch. It will go down as one of the best speeches a candidate has ever given to a convention. She took on every challenge she faced with strength and charm.
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Historic night for Ontario: First woman / First openly LGBT Premier!
I have to congratulate Kathleen Wynne on a victory well-earned. She did it by bringing three out of her four male rivals over to her side at today’s Ontario Liberal leadership convention in Toronto. The left-centre-right coalition put her over the top and gave her a victory over Sandra Pupatello,
Continue readingQueer-liberal: Xtra journalist accredited to attend Ontario Liberal convention,misleading Xtra story gives different impression…
This story caught my interest as an accredited blogger at the Ontario Liberal leadership convention. I just had a chat with the party’s media person, Bradley Hammond, about it. He told me that Xtra reporter Andrea Houston (who has often been seen recording video while covering news stories) is among
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