InQueeries

April 13, 2006

By Gilles Marchildon, Executive Director of Egale Canada

Marriage Vote Still On

Just when we thought we could relax a bit. I was very much looking forward to the post-marriage era for our community.

Same-sex couples enjoy the same equality rights and relationship recognition, through common-law inclusion and equal marriage. I thought that energy and resources could now be focused on other issues.

For instance, we could encourage schools across Canada to be more proactive in addressing homophobia and transphobia, using the example of Winnipeg One School Division and others.

We could push to extend full human rights protection to trans people by amending the Canadian Human Rights Act to include “gender identity” and “gender expression”.

But thanks to our new Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Justice Minister, Manitoba’s Vic Toews, we need to defend past achievements. We need to stop a roll-back on equality.

We need to “stand up for Canada”, as the Conservative Party’s election slogan says - but giving a more inclusive definition of Canada that reflects equality and justice.

Canadian voters - albeit only 1 out of 3 - brought to power a party that includes the following in its platform: “A Conservative government will: Hold a truly free vote on the definition of marriage in the next session of Parliament. If the resolution is passed, the government will introduce legislation to restore the traditional definition of marriage while respecting existing same-sex marriages.”

Last year, Parliament adopted equal marriage legislation. MPs voted to uphold the equal rights of LGBT Canadians while also enhancing religious freedom. It was the Canadian way: equality while respecting diversity; complementary rights, not competing rights.

That historic vote on equal marriage concluded 3 years of intense debate. Since then, the sky hasn’t fallen and we have social peace on the matter. Two thirds of Canadians don’t want the Conservative government to re-open the debate on equal marriage. Even Canada’s top CEOs agree that we should live and let live... and move on.

Yet, a vote to take away equal marriage is coming. Harper and Toews confirmed this on April 5 when its absence from the Throne Speech was pointed out by Canadians for Equal Marriage (CEM), recently resurrected by Egale Canada.

Well-funded and formidable opponents are mobilizing. Their combined resources are aimed at taking away our hard-won equal marriage rights.

As previously mentioned in this space, Focus on the Family Canada established the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada. Vote Marriage Canada (VCM) is another new group, headed by former Member of Parliament Pat O’Brien.

VCM says that throughout history, “marriage between a man and a woman has been the fundamental and essential foundation of strong families... Anything that undermines our families threatens our future. And make no mistake. Legalizing same-sex marriage will undermine our families.”

The only threat I see is the one to equality posed by a new vote on equal marriage.

We need to prevent this roll-back on equality. You thought the equal marriage law voted last year was the last word? Not according to the new government.

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Egale Canada ©2010

Advancing equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families across Canada