Editorials

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Homosexual rights are part of Canada

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 03/5/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is free to disagree with the rights enjoyed by homosexuals, but he is not entitled to censor those legal protections in a document that purports to tell the story of Canada.

A new citizenship study guide was issued last year to give immigrants a better and more complete understanding of Canada, including its strong attachment to collective and individual rights. It offered a more truthful picture of our history, warts and all, and noted that Canadians have both rights and responsibilities.

The goal, in part, was to ensure that newcomers understood the country they were about to embrace. Among other things, the citizenship guide made it clear that we are selective about rights. The country's generosity, for example, does not extend to "barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, honour killings, female genital mutilation, or other gender-based violence."

Notably absent from an otherwise commendable document, however, was any reference to gay rights or equality rights. It turns out that bureaucrats had wanted to include the fact that homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 and same-sex marriages are permitted, but Mr. Kenney or his office ordered those references deleted.

The government also eliminated the fact that Canadians "are protected against discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age."

These are important omissions, particularly at a time when many immigrants are arriving from parts of the world where homosexuality is illegal and where discrimination is widely practised. New Canadians need to understand that while they may not immediately share Canada's sense of justice, the law protects certain groups from open prejudice.

If they cannot abide the idea of gay marriages, or the equality of men and women, then they should consider whether Canada is the right country for them.

Mr. Kenney has not hidden the fact he is opposed to same-sex marriages, but his government has abused its authority by interfering in the proper presentation of a key Canadian document. The minister also displayed poor political judgment with actions that will be interpreted by others as evidence that the Tories have a secret agenda.

When it comes to legal rights, the government cannot pick and choose among those entitlements and protections that it personally favours, and those it dislikes.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 5, 2010 A12

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