The federal Conservative government is making a lot of noise these days about protecting and promoting human rights, especially on how it relates to the gay and lesbian community.
Last month the Harper government vowed to raise the issue of gay rights at a meeting of Commonwealth leaders in Perth, Australia.
Prior to the meeting Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada must make it clear it disapproves of the rampant criminalization of homosexuality that regularly occurs in countries around the world.
“The rights of gays and lesbians are tremendously important. It is completely unacceptable that homosexuality continues to be criminalized in a majority of Commonwealth countries,” said Baird.
This is all fine and noble, and quite the departure from traditional Conservative values. Harper and his team have certainly found a nice comfy spot on the bandwagon of progressive social reform.
Unfortunately, the Tories, whatever their level of sincerity is, are more than four decades too late. After all, it was in 1967 when Pierre Trudeau, then federal justice minister, decriminalized homosexuality by making the momentous statement, “There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.” Gays and lesbians in the country truly had an advocate then. Canada is today, in part because of Trudeau's groundbreaking initiative, one of the most loving and tolerant societies in the world.
The gay and lesbian community, in particular, has moved giant leaps and bounds forward towards full equality. As well, Canada has one of the world's best legislative and legal arsenals to fight the injustices of gay bashing and discrimination. In 2003 Canada set the bar in relationship equality when Ontario became the first jurisdiction in North America to allow same-sex marriages. Conservatives at first were stunned, but now? Well, Baird is preaching to the same choir who 10 years ago were aghast at the Tory platform on denying equal rights to gays and lesbians.
Even with this progress one still has to wonder whether the move to full equality will ever satisfy the militant constituency in the gay and lesbian community.
Just last week there was controversy in Windsor, Ont., when two young women were allegedly asked to leave a Tim Hortons restaurant following a complaint from another customer (a pro-gay rights minister) that the pair were engaging in activity considered too amorous for accepted public morals.
Tim Hortons apologized for what it called a misunderstanding, but said the couple's behaviour “went beyond public displays of affection and was making other guests feel uncomfortable,” adding it was never management's intention to offend or target anyone based on their sexual orientation.
But that was not good enough for members of the local gay and lesbian community. Demonstrations were held, and the good reverend who made the complaint was victimized with harassment and threats by social activists.
Meanwhile, cities across the world and in Canada witness gay pride parades every year.
Toronto's Pride Week Festival has been running for 23 years. In 2009 it attracted 1.3 million people, making it one of the world's largest such festivals.
Yes, pride is an important thing. But is there not a risk in putting on such a huge public display, one that has dangerously morphed into an overly commercialized and consumer-driven extravaganza, that it marginalizes the message that was so important a generation ago? And is it not more important and meaningful to quietly reflect with modest humility at the progress that has been made, not only for all gays and lesbians but for the entire country and its people?
Perhaps there is a better day ahead – when parades such as this are no longer needed, wanted or considered, a day when gays and lesbians carry on their lives in perfect unison and harmony with their good heterosexual sisters and brothers. That's full equality.
