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‘ Page 4 Halton Hills This: Week, Saturday, September 26, 1992 EDITORIAL Breaking the ice Anyone who is even vaguely interested in sports — or women’s issues — will be aware that a 20-year-old from Quebec has bro- ken the ice in the National Hockey League — a female goal- tender. Manon Rheaume played a 20-minute stint in an pre-season game for the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night — the first female to play for a NHL team in the league’s 75-year history. Our hats are off to her. Rheaume said she was “very nervous...(but) I didn’t think about being the first woman.” It is hard to imagine that there are very many industries or occu- pations that have not yet had their “first woman”. It is also hard to imagine what it must be like to be a ground breaker like Manon. But over the last 50 or so years, there have been ground break- ers in all kinds of “men only fields” — yet few of them have been given the kind of notoriety Rheaume has. 5 All are deserving of the recognition. As hard as it is to believe, some still believe that women don’t belong in some places of employment — and the NHL is one of Throughout the last couple of weeks, when Rheaume has been in training camp, comments in the media — and indeed local radio talk shows — have consistently mentioned something about her looks. Looks have absolutely nothing to do with how someone plays. The media would look rather silly saying that Eric Lindros is “a handsome 6’5”, and a trim 235 pounds with attractive blue eyes.” It is unnecessary and unfair to both Rheaume and the rest of the women who have broken into male-dominated fields to describe them by their physical attributes. It is time society started looking at women in male-dominated fields as ground breakers with guts and tenacity. Let's look more at how they do the job than how they look. Babbling brook Ra : BS eer Le Ns This tranquil setting was shot in Eden Mills last weekend during the one-day "Indian Summer." Photo by Scott Augustus Changing family values Dear Editor, The ruling by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ordering the provincial government to provide benefits for homosexual and lesbian employees, is the latest alarming assault on society: It changes its The following letter was sent to Halton Peel MP Garth Turner. A copy was sent to Halton Hills This Week for publication. Dear Mr. Turner, I’mpretty passionate about Canada. I chose to become Canadian rather than remain a US. citizen. I have never regretted that decision and still don’t. Until yesterday I expected to vote “yes” on October 26 — believing that a constitution is a living thing — that it has to be worked with, lived in and defined by the society it serves. Until yes- terday I meee that was possible and neces But ay was before the legal text of the document we have not yet seen, the part that deprives native women of the protection of the charter, was made public. Now, unless I can see a legal text that amends that wrong, and assure myself that the rest of us are not also being deprived of fun- damental rights, I will have to vote “no”. yw can responsible, elected officials ask anyone to make a binding decision on a contract "No" vote without changes they haven’t even been allowed to. 2 Your government is trying to make a yes vote a test of loyalty to Canada. In my view loyalty to Canada, to the ideas that define Canada, among them the rule of law, dictate that we should know and understand the law that is going to govern us. All the governments and leaders who have participated in creating the Charlottetown Accord have failed the first and ‘building block, the family, based on heterosexual unions. The NDP appointed Tribunal took its decision bypassing the Legislature and against the will of the majority of Canadians (61% versus 24% disapprove of same sex marriages, according to an early May Gallup poll). Government today seem to respond more to pressure groups than to the will of the people. Homosexuals have already the but sexual relationships, and since het- erosexual unions are the means for guaranteeing the perpetuation of society, marriage is a heterosexual relationship. This is recognized by the State and/or by the Church. In fact, marriage is the ideal basic relationship for building a nuclear Since the basis for any family is a heterosexual union, heterosexual couples in a Common Law relation- Pt ae are a basis for a nuclear A a! put it bluntly: heterosexual unions Homosexual unions mean extinc- tion. Just common sense. Now, since the primary roles of a family are: 1) forming a community of persons, oi serving life, and ¥ same rights as their activists want more: a public that their life- test of democracy — they have not produced the actual law they are asking us to accept. To me a no vote is now a vote of “no confidence” in the Accord — not because I agree with the arguments of any political action group — but because it would be criminally irresponsible for me to approve something I haven’t read) or understood. Please prevail upon your col- leagues to either produce the legal text before October 26, or delay the vote until the text is available. Yours truly, (Mrs.) B.R.Cornwell style is valid and acceptable. It is not so, The FCP, in consideration of the continuous attacks on the family, will present new policy at its annual convention (Nov. 5-7 at the Howard Johnson in Scarborough) dealing specifically with the defini- tion of family and the rationale for recognizing only heterosexual mar- riages. The term “family” is often used in a general sense, thus we must first define the relationships of “marriage” and “Common Law.” Since both the secular and the Judaeo-Christian traditions recog- nize the natural function of hetero- e society, tien a Pile family” can be defined, in a simple way, as a single parent or two parents with children. In today’s society, chil- dren may be natural or adopted, of only one parent, from a previous majriage or out of wedlock. In addition, an “extended family” can be defined as including any person related by marriage, blood or adoption. Governments must recognize that the family is the basic cell of com- munity and of society. In fact the family is a society in its original right. The family’s and society’s roles are complementary, but, if pee society has the subsidiary a a our Laws (taxation, criminal, custody, etc.) Society must continue to hold a supporting role, in different measures, fore- most towards the nuclear family, then towards married or Common Law couples, then towards extend- ed family members. If the attacks on the family con- tinue, our society is going to suffer serious consequences. If we want our children to grow in a healthy, strong and sound society, that soci- ety can only be based on healthy, strong and sound families. Incidentally, the Canadian Charter of Rights does not include “sexual orientation” as one of the criteria against discrimination, although the “conservative” Minister of Justice Kim Campbell tried to change that! The ruling of the provincially appointed Ontario Human Rights Tribunal must be appealed, as it is arbitrary, unfounded, destructive and unpopular, no matter how “politically correct.” < Sincerely, Giuseppe Gori Deputy Leader Family Coalition Party of Ontario Letters Welcomed Halton Hills This Week wel- -comes your letters. Letters must be signed and include your full name and address. Names will be with- held on request Send your letter to: The Editor Halton Hills This Week 232 Guelph St., Unit 9 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 ee JHis WEEK Halton Hills Fanaa a, is pub- lished every Satu Georgetown, Ont LG Bh and phen in Cabville by Q.E. Web Pri In the event of typographical eor advertising goods or ise at sabe price, goods or services may not be is merely an offer to sell egal reyes withdrawn at any time. PUBLISHER: Ken | REAL ESTATE MANAGER: Kathy Toth. EDITOR: Scott Kline CIRCULATION MANAGER: Marie: PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kathi HALTON HILLS THIS WEEK |S INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED. 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