|
|||||||
Satisfying all save the extremes. |
|||||||
Niagara Falls, Ontario - Thursday, June 12, 2003 - by: Joe Hueglin | |||||||
|
In June of 1999 a resolution reaffirming that Parliament defined marriage as the | ||||||
"union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others," |
|||||||
and calling upon Parliament to | |||||||
"take all necessary steps within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada to preserve this definition of marriage in Canada." |
|||||||
received majority support in the House (Votes: For=216 Against=55). | |||||||
|
Though in the four years since nothing substantial has changed, this meaning of this age old institution of society is at risk of being altered. Wedlock, matrimony, marriage, bridesmaids, groomsmen, trousseaus, throwing of the garter, something old, something new something borrowed and something blue all will have been swept aside to achieve an artificial equality if Parliament accepts judicial opinions that homosexual relationships be defined as the same as those of one man and one woman. Artificial in that they have not been, are not and will not ever be the same. | ||||||
|
Rather than accepting the judges' views Canadian society would be better served if the term marriage was retained for the union of heterosexual couples, for one man and one woman, and a new term be it called civil unions or domestic partnerships, or whatever, be deemed appropriate, be established for same-sex couples. | ||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Notwithstanding decisions of the judiciary, it is within the power of the Parliament of Canada to enact laws to this effect that which would satisfy all save those few seeking symbolic equality of that which is not the same on the one hand and those considering such unions as unworthy of any recognition on the other. | ||||||
|
|||||||
References: | |||||||
|
Lunman, Kim, National response needed, Cauchon maintains, (PDF) June 11, 2003, Toronto Globe and Mail | ||||||
Current status of same-sex marriage: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_marr_menu.htm |
|||||||
HISTORY OF THE SAME-SEX "MARRIAGE" ISSUE http://www.ccrl.ca/issue_marriage.html |
|||||||
CBC News, House committee favours same-sex unions, June 13, 2003 CBC | |||||||
|
|||||||
|