For Immediate Release
September 1, 1992

(Toronto) In a decision released today, an independent Board of Inquiry
appointed under the Ontario Human Rights Code ordered the Ontario government
to extend survivor benefits under its pension plan to the spouses of gay and
lesbian employees.

A majority of the three person Board of Inquiry found that the denial of
spousal benefits, while permitted due to the definition of "marital status" in
the Ontario Human Rights Code as requiring a partner of the opposite sex,
nonetheless violated the equality guarantee in the Charter [The Canadian
Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms]. The third member of the panel found the
denial of benefits to be a violation of the Code itself.

Chief Commissioner Catherine Frazee stated that, "The Board's decision
represents a strong recognition and affirmation of gay and lesbian spousal
rights. It is a significant step towards achieving full equality for gays and
lesbians in this province.

We urge the government of Ontario to move quickly to amend provincial
legislation to recognize that that gay and lesbian spousal relationships are
of equal status and worth to heterosexual ones."

The provincial government was order by the Board to immediately extend to gay
and lesbian couples the same options and benefits under the pension plan as
are now available to heterosexual couples. The Board also found that the
provincial goverment had been "laggard" in pursuing the federal government to
amend the Income Tax Act. It directed the Commission to monitor the province's
efforts to lobby for reform.

The case decided today was first brought to the Commission in 1988 by Michael
Leshner, a lawyer working for the Ministry fo the Attorney General. Mr.
Leshner filed his complaint after being told that his spouse of over seven
years was not covered under the government's dental and health insurance plans.
Mr. Leshner was also told that his spouse would not be eligible to receive any
survivor benefits under the government's pension plan.

Effective January 1, 1991, the government extended health and dental insurance
coverage to the spouses of employees with same sex partners. However, the
government claimed that the provisions in the Federal Income Tax Act prevented
a similar extension of survivor benefits under the pension plan.

Further Information
Alan Shefman, Director, Communications and Education
Ontario Human rights Commission
12th Floor, 400 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario  M7A 2R9
(416) 314-4634


I attended the press conference today; I am a friend of Michael's.  Let me
give you some additional information.

- the Ontario Human Rights Code was changed in 1986 to prohibit discrimination
  on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and services.
  Unfortunately the definition of "marital status" still allowed for
  discrimination in many areas.
- effective 11:54 EDT, the Ontario Human Rights Code has been changed to
  reflect a new definition of "marital status" to include same sex spouses
- this change affects 79 other statutes in the province of Ontario, dealing
  with rights of visitation in cases of illness, pension benefits in the
  private sector, etc.

We won!

Today is a day to be very proud that in Ontario, we live in a Province where
discrimination is not tolerated under law, and that we have a system to change
the law *that works*.
-- 
Owen Plowman 					      Oracle Corporation Canada
Director, Core Technology Marketing		      40 King Street West
						      Suite 4900, Box 117
(416) 866-8062 x. 250				      Toronto, Ontario
(oplowman@ca.oracle.com)			      M5H 3Y2