FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 24, 2002

Contact: (Dr.) Marguerite E. Ritchie, C.M., Q.C.

Tel: (613) 232-2920; Fax: (613) 232-3735

THE FAILURE OF THE POLITICIANS

OTTAWA, ONT. The Human Rights Institute of Canada today accused Ontario politicians of failing to protect the English-speaking people of Ontario against language discrimination in the large new City of Ottawa.

Dr. Marguerite E. Ritchie, Q.C., speaking from Ottawa, called on them to deal with the illegality of the Ottawa Bilingualism Bylaw and Official Languages Policy, which were adopted by Ottawa City Council on May 9, 2001 under public pressure by the Federal Government. She pointed out that the people of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario feel that they are abandoned on the language issue.

Although Premier Harris refused to pass legislation giving Ottawa Policy the force of law, the Ottawa city Council has been applying it as if it were legal. Premiers Harris and Eves have refused to deal with letters of complaint from English-speaking people who see or encounter the discrimination against them.

Dr. Ritchie released a copy of the letter she sent to Premier Eves on August 30, 2002. It invited him to come to Ottawa for a Town Hall Forum on Government Accountability. The Forum would deal with the illegality and would enable him to hear he views of people affected. Premier Eves responded by denying responsibility and sending the Institute letter to the Minister responsible for French Language Services. There is no Minister responsible for English Language rights.

"That is the abandonment that people have described to us," Dr. Ritchie said. "The Premier has the power to stop the Ottawa Bylaw. He should refer the illegality to the Courts. We will also be asking Dalton McGuinty, Leader of the Opposition in Ontario, to meet with us, hear about the problems, and support our demand to the Premier to put this matter before the Courts."

It is unconscionable that the burden of this struggle for equality of English-speaking people should fall upon the citizens of Ontario.

Politicians must not be allowed to destroy the rights of the people in this City and in this Province. We are asking citizens to provide financial support to the Human Rights Institute of Canada to continue this fight. All donations are tax-deductible.

-30-