It is hard to believe today, but it was not too long ago in Ontario that the MPPs at Queen’s Park defeated a bill pioneering gay rights in the province. It was June 9, 1994 and Premier Bob Rae – in a forward-looking move that will forever be positively remembered – and his government’s Bill 167 went down to defeat, 68-59 in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Under the Rae reforms, same sex spousal benefits would have been granted. I was a young reporter then and will forever recall – sadly – the homophobic comments that flew around during this period. Perhaps the low point occurred after the vote when OPP officers donned rubber gloves when they worked to clear protesters at Queen’s Park. Thankfully, and led in part by brave leaders willing to lead change like Mr. Rae, we now live in a different time. That vote that took place on June 9, 1994 and it seems so long ago. And that’s a good thing. caption id="attachment_539790" align="aligncenter" width="235" Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae tried to pass legislation supporting spousal benefits for same sex couples in 1994/caption Birthday Alerts from Art’s History: Sending out birthday greetings to Quebec MP Steven Guilbeault, BC MP Elizabeth May, former Attorney General of Ontario, Kingston’s own John Gerretsen (a true gentleman in politics) and TVO’s Steve Paikin, a true gentleman in journalism.   Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.