re. Local MPs to back traditional view of marriage

It's typical of the Liberal MPs to hide behind "the wishes of the constituents" on a fundamental issue of human rights. What if the issue was of allowing people of colour equal access to housing? What if it was about allowing women to have credit cards in their name, instead of having to use their husband's? What if it was about your right to practice your own religion? Are these also to be left up to "the wishes of the constituents"?

Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the most important protection we have to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Yet time and time again the Liberals seem perfectly happy to dispense with it.

We still have 5 Muslim men being held without being told what they are charged with and without being able to see the evidence they are supposed to defend against. The Liberal's Bill C-36 is responsible for this and other travesties.

Now Martin isn't even willing to impose party discipline to ensure that another minority group is granted rights that the provincial court system has already said they are entitled to.

The Supreme Court said that this issue should be dealt with by Parliament. It appears that Paul Martin is setting the stage for the bill to be defeated, sending the issue back to the Supreme Court for decision.

Make no mistake about it. Same-sex marriage is here to stay - with or without Parliament's approval. What we are really seeing here is failure of leadership. Failure from Paul Martin for delaying and now effectively sinking the bill. And failure from those local MPs who have chosen to disguise their prejudices as "the wishes of the constituents".

Gary Dale
West Hill, ON