The Sexual Diversity Studies program at U of T has chosen Canada’s largest union as the recipient of its annual Citizenship Award. Honouring “distinguished contributions to the public awareness of sexual diversity in Canada,” Paul Moist of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) accepted the award at a ceremony at University College Monday night.

Before presenting the award to Moist, SDS Advisory Committee member Michelle Douglas spoke about how social activism within Canadian unions during late 1980s and 1990s helped make Canada’s workplaces more inclusive for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and the transgendered.

“CUPE…has stood the tallest in proclaiming the importance of sexual diversity,” she said. “CUPE launched one of the first grievances on same sex benefits in 1985. A decade later, it launched a crucial court challenge to restrictions on the federal income tax act, clearing the way for many employers to extend full benefits to their [gay and lesbian] employees.”

Douglas also noted that CUPE, which represents approximately 500,000 public sector workers, was the first Canadian union to prepare a comprehensive educational package on sexual diversity issues for use in the workplace, and the first to enshrine transgender rights into its constitution.

Former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray also spoke at the ceremony, lauding CUPE for its support of gay and lesbian political candidates. “The fact that Canada has produced candidates who are openly gay and lesbian is largely because CUPE has always been that first organization to step up and help raise money,” said Murray, who is openly gay.

The SDS Citizenship Award is valued at $5,000, half of which is donated to a cause selected by the winner. CUPE passed along its $2,500 in award money to Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE), Canada’s national gay lobby group. CUPE donated the remainder of its award money back to the SDS program to assist in its continued growth.

A committee made up of SDS students, faculty, and community members selects the recipient of the award. This year, the committee decided to award, in addition to the Citizenship Award, two Awards of Merit. Vancouver lawyer barbara findlay (who lowercases her name) and Toronto filmmaker John Greyson were this year’s recipients.