Who is Equal?
The Passage of Nunavut’s First Human Rights Act
Jack Anawak
$5.00; ISBN 0-920999-07-7
“Where did we get the power to give rights and take away rights? When did we decide to set aside our time-honoured values and beliefs about the value and integrity of all people? In other words, what are we doing as members of our society supporting such non-democratic behaviour, judgments and attitude? If anything as leaders, we should be confronting this unacceptable way of thinking, loudly and clearly, and we should be busy re-affirming and protecting the rights of all.”
Jack Anawak, Canada’s current Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs, gave an impassioned speech in the Nunavut legislature in 2003 arguing against members who wanted to take sexual orientation out of the new act. His speech (which is available in English and Inuktitut in this booklet) helped to precipitate the signing of Nunavut’s first human rights act and two years later, as the issue of same-sex marriage again hits the media during the current election campaign, his words continue to resonate.
For a CBC story about the booklet, check out their website.