Via morons.org headlines:
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin addressed the House of Commons on February 16th in order to pledge his support for the federal law that would give the rights of civil marriage to all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.
A few excerpts from his speech:
We will be influenced by our faith but we also have an obligation to take the widest perspective — to recognize that one of the great strengths of Canada is its respect for the rights of each and every individual, to understand that we must not shrink from the need to reaffirm the rights and responsibilities of Canadians in an evolving society.
He brings up an issue that has apparently been raised: that it should be left to a referendum. His response to this also addresses something that has been seriously lacking in the political discourse in our country of late: the concept of the tyranny of the majority:
I reject this not out of a disregard for the view of the people, but because it offends the very purpose of the Charter.
The Charter was enshrined to ensure that the rights of minorities are not subjected, are never subjected, to the will of the majority. The rights of Canadians who belong to a minority group must always be protected by virtue of their status as citizens, regardless of their numbers. These rights must never be left vulnerable to the impulses of the majority.
Why can’t our government share this view?
I enjoyed my recent trip to Vancouver and I found the weather pleasant and not too cold. If I didn’t own a home and not have to go through the hassle of moving lots of large pieces of furniture & two cats, I’d move to Vancouver.