I think I should start by mention that I am not anti American. I appreciate all the benefits that come with having such friendly and powerful neighbors. There is a difference thought between the American People and the policies of the American President. When you look at his current approval rating hovering in the low thirty percent range you see it illustrated quite clearly. That said we have our own problems here in Canada currently and his name is Stephen Harper. On Friday Mr. Harper announced that sometime in the fall he would bring forth a motion on reopening the Gay Marriage debate. This was not a surprise as he campaigned on this promise to keep all the right wing fanatics in his party appeased. What was odd was the timing of the announcement. Why bring it up now, he didn't have a specific date in mind, just sometime in the fall. Things became much clearer on Saturday. That was the day that George Bush tried to shore up his own right wing fanatics, by announcing his own vote, on his proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Its hard to believe that this was a coincidence. The only positive side too these votes are that they both are likely to fail. I understand why Mr. Bush is bringing the issue forward as it has not really been debated extensively in the U.S., though a constitutional amendment seems to be quite extreme. Here in Canada though we had almost three years of public debate over the issue. Gay Marriage has been examined from every angle, what new arguments could possibly be brought forward. If any thing new on the argument could be said its that the fears of the right have been disproved. We are only days away from the one year anniversary of the historic vote in Parliament. In the last year what has happened to marriage in Canada? After thousands of weddings between loving men and women the institution of marriage has not collapsed. Straight couples are still rushing out and getting married ( and divorcing at astonishing rates ). Churches have not lost their charitable status for refusing to marry gays and lesbians. In short the sky has not fallen. I do see a benefit for liberal minded people in this country by Mr. Harper bring forward the debate again. As much as the liberal party was divided over the original vote so now is the Harper government. The republican party north needs more support if they hope(dream) to win a majority government. Many of these newly elected conservatives in Quebec have little to no hope of getting re-elected if they support removing this right of Canadians. The issue that seemed to be over could potentioally drive major rifts througth the consrvative party. This is not the first issue to divide there party, Mr. Harper has flip flopped on a lot of his pre election ideas. First there was the elected senate, and he turned around appointed his Quebec campaing manager (who couldn't be bothered to run for election ) to cabinet, then gave him a Senate appointment. Then there was Mr. Emerson, who ran and won as a liberal, then when the Liberal party failed to win, immediately discovered his inner conservative and changed sides for a cabinet seat. Sound familiar? Mr. Harper and his conservative party couldn't wait to get into line and call Belinda Stronarch everything up to and including a prostitute when she changed parties, but now he's Prime Minister its completely different. Then Emerson turned around and sold us out to the U.S. government. The softwood lumber deal requires Canadian provinces to check with the U.S. government before making any changes to the way they market there product. What I'm trying to get at is Lady's look out your probably next. Mr. Harper said that he would not bring forth legislation to change a woman's right to choose, but he wouldn't stop any one else in his party from doing so. He's been in power for less than six months and look how often he's changed his mind. How long until his views "evolve" on this issue too? Were probably about a year away from the next election, watch closely to what Harper is doing, and remember all the hypocritical things he has done before you mark you X. I feel better that I got that of my chest.
