The EGALE questionnaire: an explanation Early in 1992, EGALE drafted a detailed questionnaire on sexual orientation issues. Each of the 17 questions was accompanied by a backgrounder on the issue. Following consultations with many lesbian and gay rights activists, the questionnaire was finalized, and mailed to all Members of Parliament in late April. We asked MPs to respond by the end of May. Questionnaires were also sent to Reform Party leader Preston Manning and National Party leader Mel Hurtig, who do not currently sit in the House of Commons. A reminder letter was sent to all MPs in June. By mid-July, less than 30 MPs had returned completed questionnaires, giving us some idea of the importance most politicians attach to lesbian and gay rights issues. There are 295 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. A number of MPs acknowledged receiving the questionnaire, but declined to complete it, for various reasons. However, we were able to obtain responses from the main political parties, with the exception of the Reform Party. (See page x.) The Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats prepared standard responses for use by their MPs. Liberal leader Jean Chr‚tien and NDP leader Audrey McLaughlin used these standard party responses. Kim Campbell, who was a leadership candidate at the time, sent her own individual response. Brian Mulroney did not respond. Bloc Quebecois leader Lucien Bouchard asked a caucus colleague, MP Gilles Duceppe, to respond on behalf of the Bloc. Some MPs did not use their party's standard response, and completed the questionnaire on their own. Please see the chart on page x for MPs' responses. EGALE invited all MPs to add comments to their YES or NO responses. Many did so, others did not. Some answered with comments instead of YES or NO responses. Because there is not enough space here to include all the comments of all the respondents, we have selected what we consider the most relevant excerpts from the information provided. If you would like a copy of the complete EGALE questionnaire or a particular MP's response, please send a stamped, self-addressed large envelope with your request to the following address: EGALE 2 Daly Avenue Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 352 words