http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoMoney/ts.ts-02-22-0064.html


http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoMoney/ts.ts-02-22-0064.html

Friday, February 22, 2002

Anti-gay women to take on Royal

By MARYANNA LEWYCKYJ, Toronto Sun

An openly anti-gay group that wasn't allowed to open an account at Royal Bank will take its beef to the bank's shareholders today.

The No Committee 2006, which is opposed to the 2006 Gay Games in Montreal -- in part because of fears the event will increase the spread of AIDS in Canada -- will present a shareholder resolution that seeks to prevent the bank from refusing accounts to organizations because of their views.

"The resolution is to protect people's freedom of opinion and expression, regardless of whether it's critical, social or ideological," Gwendolyn Landolt of REAL Women of Canada, part of the No Committee 2006, said yesterday.

"Shareholders should know the bank is discriminating against people if they don't agree with their views."

The resolution will require a majority of shareholder agreement to pass at today's annual general meeting. Proxy votes held by Royal Bank CEO Gord Nixon will be key to whether the resolution succeeds.

'CLEAR LINE'

"We support anyone's right to freedom of expression," said Royal Bank spokesman Beja Rodeck.

"But we also draw a clear line and that is we will not knowingly open and operate bank accounts for groups whose express purpose is to incite discrimination against minorities."

Landolt said if the resolution doesn't pass, the No Committee will continue to press for redress, either through the courts or the Human Rights Commission.

A human rights complaint by the Quebec lesbian and gay coordinating council against the No Committee 2006 was dismissed because the council could not demonstrate that harm had been done to them by the No Committee .

In June 2001, a No Committee 2006 spokesman was quoted as saying that the 2006 Gay Games will bring HIV carriers to Montreal and increase the spread of AIDS.

This “group” that couldn’t get a bank account consisted of ONE guy (regaled-à-la-Amish) and TWO female hangers-on who “protested” outside Montreal City Hall when the (gay) Mayor and several (gay) MP’s of the provincial and federal governments were on hand to lend support to the Montréal 2006 Team bid. Their “Gays = AIDS” placards were the laughing stock of the six-o’clock news.

And “Real Women” is a group that supports husband-serving, apron-toting, stay-at-home baby-producing womb-en that is so out of touch with the reality of Canadian life that is, once again, laughable.

I am a long-time client of the Royal Bank, and they’ll have sh*t to pay if they cave to these idiots. But I suppose some moms, pops, and wrinkled judges might rule in their favour. Let the fireworks begin!