Gay-Bashing In British Columbia

Canadian police are investigating the gay-bashing of a British Columbia man who was brutally beaten last month while he and a friend enjoyed a rural natural hot spring.

The victim was relaxing in the hot pool with his companion, both men from Burnaby, when they were joined by two other men and a woman. The man who identified himself as ‘Terry’ discovered the men were homosexual and allegedly told his friends he was going to kill them. As one man ran from the pool to hide, the other man was viciously beaten as he begged for mercy, suffering cuts and bruising to most of his body. He was left injured in the snow as the suspect and his two friends left on snow mobiles.

The suspect is believed to be from Calgary. According to the above-linked story, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police describe the attack as a "crime of ignorance."

CANADA: British Columbia Supreme Court Weighs Decriminalizing Polygamy

In a trial that is expected to last through January, British Columbia's Supreme Court is hearing the case of a fundamentalist sect of the Mormon Church, who are arguing that laws against polygamy violate Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The case involves now-dismissed criminal charges brought against the leaders of a small polygamous community in Bountiful, British Columbia.

Residents of Bountiful practise what Wickett described as a form of "fundamental Mormonism," which includes plural marriage. Although the mainstream Mormon church renounced polygamy more than a century ago, members of the FLDS believe plural marriage is a tenet of the faith. The community in Bountiful has split into two factions and Wickett represents the congregation with ties to the U.S.-based FLDS. About 550 people in Bountiful are part of that faction, and about 55 of them are polygamous, said Wickett. Lawyers for the provincial and federal governments have argued that polygamy has created a long list of problems in Bountiful, including child brides, teenage pregnancy, the trafficking of young girls to meet the demand for wives, the subjugation of women and the expulsion of boys to reduce competition for brides.

Wickett said there is very little evidence before the court of any of that happening in Bountiful. Rather, he said, critics with a long-standing bias are relying on the experiences of polygamous communities in the United States. "Members of the FLDS know full well that their beliefs and practices are neither understood … nor accepted by the majority of Canadians," said Wickett. Wickett said if there is abuse within Bountiful — which he suggested is no different than in a monogamous society — the existing law makes it worse because victims would be reluctant to come forward.

Christianist websites in the U.S. are following the case closely as they have long contended that same-sex marriage opens the door to polygamy.

CANADA: Widespread HAART Treatment Reduces New HIV Infections

A new study just published in British Columbia suggests that a very effective way to prevent new HIV infections may be to put all pozzers on HAART therapy.

A new study conducted in British Columbia has found that the infection rate in the province has been halved since 1996 by the widespread adoption of HAART, researchers reported online Sunday in the journal Lancet and at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. For every 100 new patients treated, the infection rate went down 3%, Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, reported. "This study strengthens the evidence that maximizing HAART coverage within current medical guidelines will help to curb the spread of HIV," Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in a statement. The agency funded the study. "These findings are especially important since new HIV cases have remained stubbornly steady in the United States at a rate of about 56,000 per year for the past 10 years." British Columbia is a good place for such a study because it is relatively small — population about 4,420,00 — and everyone in the province receives free medical care.

Earlier this year the San Francisco Health Department recommended patients begin HAART therapy immediately upon diagnosis, regardless of disease progression, a strategy that has been met with some controversy.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Couple Shuts Down Bed & Breakfast Rather Than Serve Gays

A Christian couple in Grand Forks, British Columbia has decided to close their bed and breakfast rather than face additional charges of discriminating against gay customers.

"We've been harassed so bad we're not running (the B&B)," said Lee Molnar, who lives with his wife Susan in the B.C. community of Grand Forks. Their lawyer Ronald Smith said they are "devastated" but also feel they can't continue to operate Grand Forks Riverbend Bed and Breakfast for fear they will be asked again "to violate their religious beliefs" by renting to a gay couple. Smith is representing the couple in a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal case scheduled to begin Wednesday, but it was postponed. "They're just a retired couple in Grand Forks who thought they would open their home to guests and here they are in the centre of a firestorm," Smith said. "They're a lovely couple. They don't want to be thought of as discriminating, but they're Christians who don't feel they can violate their religious beliefs."

Last year Shaun Eadie and Brian Thomas attempted to book a room, but were called back and told "this won't work out" after they confirmed to the owners that they are gay. The owners plan to argue in court that under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, "they have the right to decide what kinds of behaviours take place in their home."

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Students To Cross-Dress In Protest Over Homophobia

Student at a British Columbia high school are planning to cross-dress in protest of the cancellation of anti-homophobia events.

Students at Columneetza Secondary in Williams Lake were supposed to have an assembly on Tuesday to see an anti-homophobia presentation organized by the local Gay Straight Alliance. But the event was cancelled, along with a so-called Gender Bender day when students would dress up as the opposite sex, according to student organizer Lexi Fallel. Diane Wright, the superintendent of the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District, confirmed the school board cancelled some of the events after parents complained last week. "They felt that it was promoting the gay lifestyle, rather than promoting anti-homophobia," said Wright. Students face consequences if they show up at school dressed in the opposite gender's clothing, said Fallel. "We were actually told that any student that comes to school dressed in the opposite gender's clothing will be sent home and suspended and it could be on our permanent record," said Fallel.

Students are planning their protest for this Friday. School administrators say no one will be suspended.

(Tipped by JMG reader Neil)