2nd rally held to demand judge's removal

Opponents of Justice Robert Dewar's controversial comments in a recent sex assaultcase rallied for a second time outside the Manitoba Law Courts building in Winnipeg.

The rally, atnoon Friday, drew less than 20 people.

The protestorsalsocalled for more attention on women's rights during the federal election campaign.

The turnout was much less than the100who gathered at the same spoton Feb. 25, expressing anger and demanding Dewar resign.

Thefirestorm was ignitedby comments Dewar madeon Feb. 18, when he sentenced Kenneth Rhodes in Thompson, Man., to a two-year conditional sentence in a sex assault case.

The decision sparedRhodes jail time and allowed him to remain free in the community.

In his ruling, Dewar said"sex was in the air" and commented on the way the woman was dressed and her actions the night she was forced to have sex in the woods along a dark highway outside Thompson in 2006.

'Shame on Justice Dewar for failing to understand that date rape is rape.' Alanna Makinson

Dewar alsocalled Rhodesa "clumsy Don Juan" who may have misunderstood what the victim wanted.

"This is a case of misunderstood signals and inconsiderate behaviour," he said.

Transcript reignites furor

The sentencing transcript, published in full by some media outlets earlier this month, reignited the outrage, said Alanna Makinson, one of the rally organizers for Friday.

"After reading the transcript of Justice Dewars comments in context, I remain appalled and outraged," she said.

"Shame on Justice Dewar for failing to understand that date rape is rape. He should resign from the bench."

'Its time for a renewed national strategy for womens rights.' Alanna Makinson

The sentencing transcript also details the frustrated appeals of Crown attorneys trying to convince Dewar of the seriousness and violence of the 2006 assault, said Makinson, who is chair of the Manitoba arm of the Canadian Federation of Students.

"While the transcript might expose the lack of fitting precedents for date rape cases, the continued furor over Justice Dewars comments exposes a serious lack of commitment by the federal government to womens rights," she said, saying thematter needs to become a federal election issue.

"There should be a national womens advocacy organization to take up concerns about Justice Dewars comments, but these structures have been defunded by successive federal governments.

"Resources for sexual assault survivors are stretched thin. How can we respond effectively to the legal system without resources? Its time for a renewed national strategy for womens rights."

The upcoming federal election takes place during sexual assault awareness month in Canada, Makinson noted.