Same Sex Marriage - Time to weigh in...

My wife sent a letter to a bunch of MP's regarding our opposition to this issue. One MP (well, two, our own MP and now one Liberal) sent us (well, a staffer did) a note on his view. I'm posting my reply here for you to review...

To The Honourable Sarmite D. Bulte, P.C., M.P.,

I wholeheartedly oppose your view on this issue.

Marriage was NOT created, and thus, not defined, by any government. It is an inherent human institution that has outlived any other institution in our world history, and outlived any other government in this world. This fact is true regardless of where you believe marriage came from, be it from God or otherwise. The Government of Canada does not have the right to re-write the definition of an institution that it had no part in creating, nor does it have the right to re-write thousands of years of human tradition.

I am, however, a firm believer that each and every Canadian has the right to live as he or she so chooses. That is why the creation of some other form of union I feel is a more appropriate means of dealing with this issue. But to attempt to redefine marriage is something that you sir, nor any other leader, has any right to do.

You have indicated that religious institutions will not be required to perform same-sex marriages. Therefore, I ask this question that MUST be addressed before proceeding with this legislation; will the peoples of those faiths still retain the right not to recognize same-sex marriages, and to condemn them as wrong, as their religions so teach? If not, then I submit to you that the legislation will not be sufficient to protect the religious freedoms of the peoples of Canada. You will be denying the freedoms of many to satisfy the demands of the few. And that sir, is TRUELY wrong; to blatantly deny the rights of one while granting rights to another, when it is in your power to grant equal rights to both.

As a representative of the Canadian people, please do not vote in favour of this motion. Please consider making an amendment to affirm the rights of all Canadians by proposing some other form of union.

Sincerely,
"C.C."

SAVE CANADA!

Since when do "Canadian Values" automatically have to mean "only the Liberal Party platform"? Since when does that party control what the Canadian people value? It seems that sometime in the 1970's, or maybe as far back as the 60's, the Canadian people got fooled into thinking that whatever the Liberal Party of Canada says MUST be what we have to agree with, and that any other voice must be "anti-Canadian" or something. HUH? Hello? When did the Canadian people stop thinking for themselves?

We pride ourselves on being informed people, who have a good grasp on what is happening in the world today. Why then don't we have a CLUE about what's happening within our own borders? The Liberal Party has forced upon us their sets of values, and most of the country just goes along with it without even thinking! That's why this past June during the election, Paul Martin said "Voting for the Conservative Party will destroy Canada" and the polls swung his way! SINCE WHEN DOES THE LIBERAL PARTY DETERMINE WHAT WE AS A PEOPLE BELIEVE? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around... we as a people are supposed to tell the government what we want. (at least that's how I understood the concept of Democracy...)

Here's my point... Paul Martin said "Don't vote Conservative because the Conservative Party is very very scary." Then I heard the Canadian people say "I'm scared of what the Conservative Party is going to do to the country." BUT I NEVER HEARD WHY!!! No one said WHY they were scared, except for one or two people who had obvious agendas of their own anyway! (certain special interest groups, ie. Kyoto, same-sex marriage, etc.)

People say the Conservative Party is racist... yet they have more racial and religious groups represented than ANY other party!

People say (well, Paul Martin said) their economic policies were unreasonable and too expensive... then it turns out their economic projections (including the budget surplus) were THE MOST ACCURATE OF ALL THE PARTIES!

People say they have an agenda to overturn same-sex rights and abortion... WRONG. The agenda they do have is to let the Canadian people have a VOICE in important decisions! Do you like it when a party has a majority, and then rams through their own agenda, even when the people are screaming and their voices aren't being heard? THAT'S what the Conservative Party wants to stop... they want MP's to have the freedom to vote along the lines of their beliefs and/or to represent the views of their constituants without fear of reprisal, and not having to tow the "party" line all the time.

People say the Conservative Party is right-wing Christian run... actually, I wish it was. But the truth is, they are NOT, as I know from personal experience. There are a whole lot of different people within the party who are anything BUT Christian. Everyone is in there, from religious groups to atheists and agnostics... more diverse than ANY other party.

People think the party is too pro-American... since 80% of our economy is reliant on the US, I think a good healthy and neighbourly relationship is good, don't you? I'm not talking about snuggling up and doing whatever they say. Just wouldn't it be nice to have a regular dialouge, rather than being considered nothing more than a pesky tenant upstairs? (by the way... that's what's happened in the last 13 years thanks to Ottawa... our voice really doesn't count in Washington anymore, or in the rest of the world for that matter...) Trust me... I DON'T want to become the 51st state... I DON'T want to be an American... but if we keep going the way we are with them, our economy and thus our nation will collapse, and we WILL be forced to do something about it... and they'll be right there and willing to help... and don't you forget it.

Next election, let's do ourselves a favour Canada... let's actually THINK about our vote, eh? Do the research, examine the issues, and THEN make a choice, please? Don't do what most Canadians seems to do... on election day they say, "Well, I don't know who to vote for, so I guess I'll vote for the Liberals, again." For the sake of our country, either make an INFORMED choice, OR PLEASE JUST DON'T VOTE!!!

And if your informed vote causes you to vote Liberal... THAT'S FINE!!! But at least you LOOKED at the issues and made a choice! That's EXACTLY WHAT I'M ADVOCATING HERE! I remember that so many people made their choice based on what that DIDN'T KNOW, not based on what they KNEW! That's no way to vote! Just examine the platforms, ask the questions, and then mark an "X"... don't just vote by what you think is the "default" party!

Lots more to come...