LONDON MAYOR MUZZLED FOR SILENCE ON GAY PRIDE

LONDON, Oct 23 (LSN) – Mayor Dianne Haskett of London is to have all letters of support to community organizations, and her plans to attend events screened by the pro-gay London Race Relations Advisory Committee.  Haskett, “shocked” at the appalling intrusion, said that the move “undermines my authority as mayor of London; it gives authority to a group of unelected people to basically review all of my judgments as mayor.” The London Free Press reported that after the decision Haskett asked if that meant past letters were also to be scrutinized and was told that that was “likely.”  Mayor Haskett is facing this Orwellian treatment in the face of her consistent refusal to proclaim Gay Pride. Last year, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) sided with The Homophile Association of London Ontario (HALO), a gay activist group, and found Mayor Dianne Haskett and the city guilty of discrimination for not making the proclamation in 1995.  The Commission levied a $10,000 fine against the mayor and the city, and ordered them to proclaim the controversial event if asked again.  While the city council voted to proclaim Gay Pride June, another council member made the proclamation. The council voted this week with a strong majority to cancel all proclamations due to the controversy,  but then narrowly passed the resolution to screen all councillors’ activities including those of Mayor Haskett.