HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-06-15, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, June 15, 1994
Publisher: Jim Beckett
News Editor: Adrian Harte
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01 AIM CoMM Ni
es,, g;e A'° o
pinion
Same-sex sabotage?
ncharacteristically, the
NDP allowed a bill to die on the
floor of the legislature in a free
vote Thursday.
Even though the extension of
more equal rights to the homosex-
ual community in this province
has long been part of party policy,
the government decided a free
vote was in order and MPPs could
vote as they pleased.
Premier Bob Rae may have
made a most impassioned plea to
keep the legislation alive, but the
fact remains a majority govern-
ment allowed for the possibility of
a bill's failure when it had no rea-
son to do so.
Scared of a slaughter at the polls
in the next election, was this bill
merely an exercise in appearing to
make good on an election promise
to the gay community, while al-
lowing a free vote to kill some-
thing unpopular with the voters?
Equally puzzling is the question
why adoption rights for homosex-
ual couples, and the redefinition
of "spouse" were included in the
bill. Most MPPs, Huron's includ-
ed, would not have supported fi-
nal passage of such legislation.
The extension of employee bene-
fit packages to same-sex couples,
while vehemently despised by
some, was largely supported by
the general population. Adoption
rights, however, proved to be
something entirely different. We
aren't aware of any jurisdiction
anywhere in the world where the
gay community has made such in-
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roads.
Consequently, the Rae govern-
ment has succeeded in taking the
question of gay rights off the floor
of the legislature. It will now most
likely end up in the courts, where
we can expect employee benefits
to be widely extended to relation-
ships other than spouses and de-
pendents.
The adoption rights issue may
have been something of a red her-
ring. After all, many married cou-
ples have the "right" to adopt, but
find themselves on impossibly
long waiting lists, and having to
meet exceedingly high criteria.
The NDP has invoked closure 14
times to cut off debate on legisla-
tion opposed by the Liberals and
Conservatives. Despite bitter op-
position from just about every
business in the province, new la-
bour relations laws were pressed
through the Legislature a couple of
years ago. And a new farm labour
bill is on its way, despite many
misgivings many have about why
it is even required. Where are the
free votes here?
The huge hoopla surrounding last
week's same-sex legislation fiasco
looks suspiciously like electioneer-
ing. On one hand, the NDP have
made the appearance of trying to
introduce new social justice laws
for homosexuals, but on the other,
they have managed to use a free
vote to let it die, appeasing those
further to the right who would not
have forgiven them at the polls.
A.D.H.
What's on your mind?
The Times -Advocate continues to welcome letters to the editor as a
forum for open discussion of local issues, concerns, complaints
and kudos. The Times Advocate reserves the right to edit letters for brevity.
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Your Views
Letters to the editor
Centralia library on 'axe' list
"If you want a local library, now is
the time to let people know."
To Stephen Twp. residents:
"The Huron County Library Board's draft strate-
gic plan includes a proposal to axe seven small li-
brary branches. Centralia's branch is on that list."
Adrian Harte wrote these lines in the May 18.
1994 issue of the Times -Advocate. Did you read
that article?
To determine how people felt about libraries, the
Board held public meetings where focus groups dis-
cussed the libraries' strengths, weaknesses, and po-
tential ways to face the challenges facing lihrary
services. In the Strategic Plan, people responded
that location was often a strength.
The library should be "within walking distance.
convenient location, central, main street, close to
shopping and other local services, and have ade-
quate parking." Residents of Centralia will agree
that location is important, I'm sure, especially dur-
ing the winter months.
Why docs Centralia need a library'' Do people use
it very often? Is this small branch library cost effec-
tive'' Do Centralia residents want it to remain, or do
they want to go to Exeter library'' These are ques-
tions to consider before making a decision to close
this library.
Centralia library is one of eight Branch 11I librar-
ies scattered throughout Huron County. In order to
direct dwindling financial resources to larger librar-
ies, these Branch 111 libraries are slated for possible
closure.
Branch III libraries focus on recreational reading
materials for their immediate community according
to the strategic plan. They carry a selection of nov-
els. paperbacks, popular hooks, and children's
hooks which are exchanged within the library sys-
tem.
Centralia's cost for circulation per book was
$1 1.83 while Exeter's was $7.90. Fordwich is a
larger library than Centralia's with higher circula-
tion. yet costs are higher at $12.94 per book. in
Cranbro ok. the cost rises to $24 12 If Fordwich's
costs are higher than Centralia's and cost is an im-
portant factor. why isn't it targeted for closure also''
Will taxpayers in the other parts of the county actu-
ally help support this library while losing their own
local branch?
Personally, 1 believe Centralia library is a commu-
nity asset. It's only open five hours a week, every
Tuesday, vet there were more than 4,000 hooks bor-
rowed last year. If the library board recommends a
minimum annual circulation of 4,0X) books. per-
haps they should increase the Centralia lihrary size
to provide more book selection or provide more
hours. as has been proposed for Fordwich.
With children, aging adults, and people on limited
incomes, a community library" becomes even more
important, and 1 believe that more resources rather
than less should he directed to this local asset.
Stephen Township plans to discuss the library's
future at a meeting on June 21. if the Council truly
wants public input. why not hold a public meeting
in the Centralia Community Hall, at the library site''
Ask the community for their opinions on closing
the Centralia library.
In the meantime, if you'd like to voice your inter-
est in the library, contact Larry Brown, clerk -
treasurer for Stephen. or Beth Ross. Huron County
Librarian in Godcrich. if you want a local library.
now is the time to let people know.
Mary Peterson,
Centralia
A View F
Church leaders exercised their right to join in
the battle over the New Democrat govern-
ment's bill to give equal rights to homosexual
couples, but this would not have put the fear of
God into anyone.
Churches no longer have anywhere near the
influence they once had.
The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church,
the biggest denomination, went further than
most objectors. As well as being against giving
same-sex couples the right to adopt children, it
opposed giving them even spousal benefits.
The church said spousal benefits are intended
primarily to help men and women raise fami-
lies and the bill would promote a homosexual
lifestyle and urged Catholics to lobby against it.
The Catholic leadership was accused of
showing 'a lot less compassion than Jesus',
abusing the power of the pulpit and trying to
manipulate in the name of religion.
A union president pontificated that the church
Queen's Park
By Erir Dowd
should look after the religious needs of its pa-
rishioners and stay out of politics, while a new
Democrat MPP said more succinctly it should
'stick to saving the sinner.'
Spokesman in the Presbyterian and Christian
Reformed Church also had objections to the
bill, while some individual Catholics and lead-
ers in the Anglican and United Churches are
among those who supported it.
But the church leaders' interventions are un-
likely to have had as much impact as they
hoped for. Not many churchgoers take their
church leaders' advice on all matters as gospel.
The most celebrated example goes back to
1971, when Progressive Conservative premier
William Davis fought an election refusing to
extend provincial funding to the end of Catho-
lic high schools.
Catholic leaders criticized him and a few
church members demonstrated against him, but
Davis won comfortably and there was not
much evidence that even most Catholics voted
against him.
Churches and politics, a poor match
The churches appeared to be regaining some
clout when first tile Catholics persuaded Davis
to provide school funding just before the 1985
election and then Anglican condemnation of
the reversal helped oust the Tories under his
successor, Frank Miller.
But the churches have done nothing but lose
ground since. Catholics who are the backbone
of the right -to -life movement have been unable
to stop the growth of clinics offering abortions.
Most churches also fought without success
against the NDP's introduction of casino gam-
bling and Sunday shopping and the teaching of
Christianity has virtually disappeared from
public schools.
Those who say a church should not take sides
on issues in the political arena argue that its
members rely on their church for spiritual guid-
ance and it abuses this trust when it tries to in-
fluence them on political matters.
But a major reason churches have lost respect
is that they often fail to speak out on issues.
Preserving family life is among the most im-
portant and a church would shirk its duty if it
failed to develop and voice an opinion.
A church also surely has as much right to lob-
by as union leaders who have been avidly pro-
moting the same-sex bill or highly -paid profes-
sional Iobbysits who promote smoking which
kills.
The NDP in opposition oddly had no doubt
that churches should become involved in politi-
cal issues. The Canadian Council of Catholic
Bishops, as an example, said in the early 1980s
that wage controls were unfair, reducing infla-
tion instead of unemployment was immoral and
unions deserved a more decisive and responsi-
ble role in planning the economy.
The overjoyed NDP gave its blessing to this
and then leader Michael Cassidy said that 'not
just bishops, but everyone should be speaking
out and putting our society on a better track'.
The NDP wants churches to keep quiet only
when it disagrees with them.
rt