Conservative Party Platform barely mentions human rights and entirely neglects the concerns of LGBT communities

Stephen Harper's picture book, a.k.a. the recently and hastily released Conservative Party Platform, does not propose any measures for improving human rights either domestically or abroad. Even the section on immigration, an issue around which Stephen Harper has been trying to build credibility, completely leaves out refugee status based on humanitarian grounds.

Regardless of the urgings of many groups working for equal rights abroad, especially regarding highly vulnerable communities such as LGBT individuals in states sanctioning homophobic and transphobic violence, the platform neglects to make a commitment to link trade and development assistance with improvements in areas involving human rights.

Further, the document's discussions of youth, health and well-being, and crime fail to mention hate crimes such as LGBT bashing. The Conservatives applaud themselves for raising the age of consent from 14 to 16, but do not mention the unequal status of anal intercourse, illegal until 18 years of age, a section of the Criminal Code primarily targeting gay men. And although Harper makes a commitment to hire more doctors, there is no consideration of LGBT communities' concerns, such as the skills and training required for sex reassignment surgery.

A government led by Stephen Harper will continue to hurt our friends and families by eroding the rights of LGBT people.

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