Traditional marriage is being attacked in Canada. If the Liberal government succeeds in passing bill C-38 allowing gay partners to be legally married, it will be waging war on marriage as we know it. At least that’s what Conservative Leader Stephen Harper would have you believe.
If such legislation will protect minority rights, I say let the bombs drop.
Why are we so keen to protect tradition at the expense of human rights?
Traditionally, women had no right to vote and were told to stay out of public office.
Traditionally, black people had to ride on the back of the bus in the United States and they faced similar discrimination in areas of Canada like Nova Scotia.
We have long since decided that the above practices are gross infringements on human rights, yet in 2005, we are still debating whether gay people should have the legal right to tie the knot.
The courts in Canada believe they do. The Supreme Court of Canada and seven provincial superior courts have all struck down the traditional definition of marriage – the union of one man and one woman – as an infringement on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
However, some religious leaders have loudly opposed the bill – arguing the traditional definition of marriage should be upheld. Some fear that ministers would have to sanction same-sex marriages, which would interfere in the practices of their faith.
But this is not an issue of religion. The proposed bill will not force any religious officials to perform marriages that are contrary to their beliefs. Nor is it designed to jeopardize the legitimacy or sanctity of traditional marriages. It will, however, offer gay people the same rights all other Canadians enjoy.
That is the real issue. A portion of the population does not believe gay people should be given equal rights.
I have heard arguments that gay people choose to give up their rights when they choose to be gay. Others have gone as far as saying homosexuality is a disease and should be treated as such. While I would like to say these comments came from a select few with radical positions, there are a significant number of educated Canadians who hold these views.
But perhaps I’m looking at this the wrong way. Maybe we should turn to tradition to guide us. We should turn to some long-standing Canadian traditions – respect for difference and acceptance. It is here where tradition should foster common ground, not division.
Unfortunately, this debate indicates that some Canadians are far from respectful and accepting.
We have built our national identity on the ethos of multiculturalism, yet the rhetoric is a far cry from the reality.