George Hislop, gay rights pioneer dead at 78. Hislop was the first openly gay candidate in Canada, co-founded the Community Homophile Association of Toronto, and successfully sued the Canada Pension Plan for the right to his partner's pension. Hislop's lawyer, Douglas Elliott: “George was a leader in the lesbian and gay community in fighting discrimination and demanding equal respect. In the early 1970s, when it was not easy to be out of the closet anywhere, George was out on national television with his partner. With his unique combination of charm and courage, George transformed our city, our nation and our world. His death is a great loss to all of us.”