Traditional definition of marriage should be kept

Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was in force in 1999 when the House of Commons overwhelmingly approved (216-55) a Reform Party bill designating marriage to be the union of one man and one woman. At that time, the Liberal party, with its large majority, did not believe that this definition of traditional marriage violated the rights of homosexuals and lesbians.

Now, six years later, a Liberal minority government strongly believes that this traditional definition of marriage violates the rights of homosexuals and lesbians.

Why? No rights have been taken away from anyone. As the state has the power to authorize social benefits and also protect individual rights for any of its citizens, there is no need to change the law on marriage. This traditional structure of marriage — the union of one man and one woman — was designed to procreate, nurture and protect children. It is a structure shared by Canadians of different cultures and faiths and it has served Canada extremely well for countless years.

I have asked my representative in parliament, Aileen Carroll, to uphold marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Gord Nixon
Barrie, Ontario