6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, February 15, 2005 *comment Heated, divisive issue Gay marriage. Rarely have two words caused so much divisiveness, so much outrage and so much anger among Canadians. lndeed, staff mnembers althIis newspaper are as emotion- ally divided on this issue as the country. Whilc Ibis is the opinion of the newspa- per. tl doesn't represent the moral views of' ail of oui staff- nor should il. Not sinice the Supreme Court struck dosso Caniada's abortion law in 1988 bias anl issue divided our country in such an emo- tional wýay. The debate oser same-ses roar- niage legisiation has createci a polarization of public opinion. This is a gond thing. Public debate and the freedomi t dclend an opinion -popular or otherv. se -is the lundamental demiocratic right genera- tions of Canadians ha'.e foughit and died l'or during wartime. While we appreciate this opinion wontI be popular w.ith many residents, we feel compelled 10 offer our two cents s'.orth on sucb a n important national issue. We fait to sec any reason why tw'o people in love -\. hatever their gender -should be denied the righit Io lcgally conanit 10 spending the rest of their lives together. Il would be blatantly hypocritical to, on one baud, place Canada on a humanitarian pedestal as a nation that embraces diversity and places the highest value on equal rights for ail of t'. citizens --and then exclucle same-ses couples from the right to be mar- ried. We completely îindersîand why many chuiches in Canada want Io relain the right to deny same-sex marriage ccrcmonics wîîhin their places of v.orship. And we vig- cirously support their wish to defend that right. Me are, bowever. îlot buying the argu- ment put lorth by some that a vote for sanie-sex marriage is a vote for polygarny. That's a comipletely separate issue to be dehated il, andi when, il's brouglit forîvard lhrîîugh Parliament or our court syslcmr. Today's reality is iliat we live in a socie- ty that lias evolved to a point wiere beîng homnosesual is no lonîger a criminal offence. If s'. ere Io cati ourselves a tolerani sîlcie- ty, s'. must be prepared to peacefully co- exst v.t lbour neîglhboirs iii spîte ofit îî misgîvings, \e iinight liasc tor their îile choices. *Our Readers Write Introduction of ïCanada's Maple Leaf flag wasn't seen by everyone as positive thing I)ear Editor: Lasi Tuesday's Champion editorial enîitied 'Mapie Leaf forever' is rathier effusive over the symholism it accords the Canadiani flag. t-orty year'. ago today, afler Lester B. Pearson had invoked closure Io pass the bill 10 introduce the new tlag, 1 had served in the Royal Canadian Navy for close 10 12 years. I can assure you that not many of îny comnrades in arns were pîeased 10 sec the Red Ensign flag - with al] ils meaning- fui history and tradition - lossed mbt the fireplace. Adoption of' the *Pearson flag'. as il was widely known ai the lime. also upsel the Royal Canadian Legion. ils miembership then heavy with velerans who foughl iii iwo world wars and Korea under the Red Ensign llag. I'm assuming the editorial v ier ha'. given due consideratiot 1 the ladt that neiîher Australia nor New Zealand .av any need to replace their national flntg with a red kartgaroo or kiwi siîuaîed heîween lwo red bars. Ron Bezant Harrison Road *The Canadian Champion 't Box 248, 191 Main Si. E.. Milton, Oui. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advetising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classifted. 905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 an Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver uill Davis Karen Smith Wendy McNab Tim C'oies Charlene Hli Teri(.Casas Aî.ir raie Pîîhtîe/îer Edri-Chief iWanagciîeî Fdîiti Aiari.in. Dire( îîi Proiduct ion Macnagerc Dîistrhibution Manîîîcie OfS"Maîiie f The Canadien Champion, publislid ieiîy Peesday ana Friday ai 11 Maie SI c Muio. iii, L91 4N'. (Boe 248. is one il Phe Melîeiaîd PîlîlîlI, Peblislieg & DislîibuIiîg LId. eîeee ol seleibal cempalues wlicl iclede'. Ajax/Pickuering News Sdvertiseî, Aliisleî Heîald/Coeeîeî Barrie Adealci , BlIse Enleipvise Brampton Gealliai Bliieîîe Post. Burîiîîgîe Shoping News, Ciiy Parent, Cily ol York Suardian, Collinîeod'uasaga Coîeeclio, tEast York Mielo, clin Advecale/Coeîiiy Soules, Foiebcîle Sueriai FiamSîieugh Review, Foeeî Young Georgetown lndependaîlActeî Fiee Press, Salle Business. limes Helolia Business limes, Lindsay Plis Week, Meîkham Ecceomisî & Sen Midland/Pelelali- aishele Miliiel Miltoe Shopping Newus, Mîssissauga Besiness limes, Mîssisseela News, Napanie Cuide, Nessalaweya News. lewmalkel/Aeilla SEa Eanee. NorleumSeîiand News, Serth York Mirrer Palueille Beaei CaSeuile Shopping News, Pîdimeis Hockey Sews. liagevîlle Banelîilia Pedey, PslewaIWlîllplCleîingieelPel Pîîiy Plis Week Peterboroughi Plis Week, Pîcion Ceeîiy Geide, Richmend Hiillehrnlil/Vaeglee LiSera. Icai- Sîlîcîl Mireor. Ptilleuh Cllge Tribue Alveelîsing us eccepleil en île condition lhaI in tle level ol e type- gieplucal eur haSe plrtien ef tle adveelîsiîg spece îccepîed Sp tle eueo eles iem. loeee wil a reaseceele ellecaîce for signeaue wîIl l Se cleîged forebu Sel ba lance of tle edveilisîmliîî wîil Se paie loi ai tle eppli- celle laie Tle peulie ileicres tle rigli Il cailelîlie alleeilisemelîs hr declile Eiial endadeîlisilg content of Plie Canediel Champion is pielecied Sp copyright lîeelteiized ue is piîliliîed i The Milioe Caeadiae Claiepiee is a Reepelaie Piodeei è 4 Same-sex marriage wIlI weaken institution i)ear Editor: t s'%as surpriscd lIo sec ihat Caliadiaii \vlinisler iltof îîî î l)îsaîîjb tell il Ilîcess.ary lIo publi- ci/ fls s n ic slii ailese a iiage. scial rediîcîiîct li Issu mnallecil o pritetlin2l 1illlîiils îlîe Suprcîîe (Courit oit canadal~ essenItially foîrccd lîcni Ili iirîiucc thîs, legisLaiioiî. anid bîîtl t bei il anîd NL)P parties lîlsîsl il's aIt aboiut Wit i]î.l due respeci.t cl bcg ici di lier cii bcîth couruts. Marriage is a tinîcles. institutioîn whereîî "a mnari wîl Icave biis latheî and nîcther and cleave 10 hîs wiie. Fundamenctal uIo tis heterîîsexuat union is a famîly. the procreation cfi chîldren - deally in a secure, sta- bIc anîd loii' en\ cie' rîîîîîeî Mvarriage aînd iainily are tiîîîda- lioîiîl comîportîent., ioi ur niatin. aiîu esseial Ili ur bcalih aînd v. ci bcg \Mitlliiîî iliese iIlsîilîlîl ý 1ii. bclîcse c hlas c noi I liure. Iiiialcl\. mlarniage ]mi 1 ILIst aîboutî a i lliisll.Ils about uIcl îîe'. elca 11 t leseii bciic l,îb lcdlîilliiîlio- lic iii ltel ci siiiplî becîîîse 1 ciristi lradiiîiîal fami lv slues l'ii n111 agaînst fgN [)Coie. but 1 Ini cîpposcd Io actioni bv ur gus cl-1 mntî thal ihreatciis, lie uillier s'. al, ci a iînstituion soiesseial lo ui- le and future. Mr. Dosaîîjh dlaims that îles îkîng the notwiîhstanding clause s'oiuld -cul a key thread in our sîocial fah tic,' but 10 rush this legîsaîuîr through in the nane (ifi mînority rights and fundamentally change the essence of' vhai ilarrîcîce really aîbouît fi1 the pîcîcess v lii iî îopinioîn, inepîrably leai îlîat labric. Il v. Isil ti) lîîîî agî l tal flic ýl)Cii'. lll looîîcîîîîk ec ciî Illcej opuî '.11e sle'. oii lii' iellci ici tic cile ilev ici'.' chlamîpiîon. Wlîat llî1î liciîedl Vcc need tîrne Ici c.,îfill iid er ilî issue. Wc iie'l puiblic dellîîc. and lecl c lit 11 iIiinîig îîîlîcî ibai aiî ad'.ersarial cîlilesl Here's scîlle s'.isdîi Ione lie (iîd ur lîiîdiiîg I aibers de'.îî cd v. îul. hisc domiioiîn frîîi sca lii sea: ~Stand ai flic crossrîiads anîd lîoîk. As lioi flic ancieni patîis where the good s'.ay s îand yocîus %il iund rest foîr yîîur scîuls. David Cummings Campbellville Make sure ta include your name, address and te/eph-tone number when submitting a letter ta the editor for publication. Pud by Steve Nease M vwwl