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6- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday September 2, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Business Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ROD JERRED Managing Editor WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Caledon Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian Guest Columnist Coming free vote at heart of political struggle Garth Turner, Halton MP Many of you might have seen the headlines in the last couple of weeks about a serious challenge I faced for my job as MP. Garth Turner Conservative Party rules say all candidates in coming elections ­ even ones who are already elected, like me ­ must be re-nominated. That means for a period of time anyone can come forward to try to get enough community support to win the nomination and, in this case, knock me off. A group of people was highly organized, as it turns out, and ready to do just that. But they did not get enough support within the time allowed, and gave up. So, you're stuck with me! Why did I face that challenge? Because of the issue of same-sex marriage, which goes to a free vote in the House of Commons this fall. The question will be whether the legality of gay marriage (it is now permitted by law) should be re-examined and the issue re-opened for possible overturning by Parliament. That action would cause the definition of marriage to revert to that of a union of a man and a woman instead of a union of two people. The group I faced, led by TV evangelist and preacher Charles McVety, are passionately fighting for gay marriage to be banned. They appealed to a lot of people of faith in Halton who feel the same way. However, not enough of them were willing to support McVety, and he retreated back to his Toronto base. During the last election campaign, and many times since, I said the gay marriage issue should be left as it is, since it is divisive; since we already had a big debate, and a vote on it; since the courts have ruled in favour of it; and since most people (in polls) think it's simply time to move on. And while many people disagree with that stance, I believe it is the appropriate way to go. Of course, I have not arrived at this point easily. I've been married to Dorothy for 35 years and this union is the foundation of my life. You will not find a bigger fan of marriage than me. I also want to restate my position again that had I been in the House of Commons as an MP when the first same-sex marriage vote was taken, I would have voted in favour of the traditional definition of marriage. At that time, I saw no compelling reason to change things. Now that it's done, I am convinced that it's time to move on. I say this because the existing law now protects religious freedoms, since no church, temple or synagogue need perform a gay marriage if the congregation does not want it. This will survive any court challenge, I am sure. In addition, no place of worship will lose its charitable status for not performing same-sex unions, which I know is a deep concern. So, the existing situation today seeks to find a balance between those on both sides of this issue. But, as with abortion and capital punishment, stem cell research and other topics which raise deep moral questions, it will always remain controversial. My job as the MP is to wade through both sides, learn as much as I can and, above all, to listen to those people who are my bosses ­ the voters of Halton. The political campaign we have just been through with my nomination was more a referendum on same-sex marriage than anything else, and it failed to mobilize community support. Based in part on that, my decision to vote not to re-open this issue is unchanged. However, as always, I am listening. If you have a message for me on this, then be in touch ­ garth@garth.ca, or write me at the House of Commons, K1A0A6. I hope the coming vote will put an end to this thing, one way or the other. Then we can get on to chopping taxes, helping families, giving people more rights and fighting for a better environment, instead of each other. RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION Chicken Little bids adieu to summer, oh, and civilization I t's hard for me to get as deliciously despondent as I typically do over the sudden cessation of summer -- made all-too real by the dreaded arrival of Labour Day -- when I weigh it against the assured and imminent cessation of civilization as we know it. Not that I'm not truly bummed about saying sayonara to summer, a season I love and that always and unfairly seems to last only a few fleeting hours in comparison with other seasons that are always overstaying their welcome. However, as I sit and sew the names of our offspring into their corresponding natty, new underwear -- oh, and tell me you're not doing the same -- in preparation for the start of another marathon school year, I have this whole End of World Scenario over which to fret. And you wonder why I have premature crow's feet and untimely grey hair! Honestly. A while back, Macleans -- a magazine suffering a severe identity crisis; uncertain of whether it desires to be perceived as saucy or serious, entertaining or enlightening --ran a big, bold cover headline ushering in Armageddon in the guise of World War III, the premise being that the ongoing Middle East crisis is actually the beginning of The Big One. Or, The Third Big One. Our 10-year-old, a sensitive and anxious soul to begin with, read that headline and, in her words, became appropriately "freaked out" by the bold pronouncement. Even in her young mind, World War III equaled the end of the world as we know it. I knew this unfortunate (dare I suggest, Andy Juniper altogether irresponsible?) headline would cause her untold anxiety and innumerable sleepless nights if I did not handle it properly and nip her fears in the bud. I sat her down, poured her a cup of warm milk and calmly explained: no worries, honey, if Macleans and its bulked-up brethren of sensational fear-mongers are to be believed, we will all be dead of Avian Flu long before the bombs begin raining down. Well, that pep talk naturally eased her fears and allayed her anxieties. But last week she heard on the news that planet Earth is on a collision course with destiny, with doom, with -- in the words of the talking head on her television -- "a killer asteroid." Apparently, or so the story went, there exist about 1,100 comets and asteroids in the inner solar system that are at least 800 meters across and any one of them could "unleash a global cataclysm capable of killing millions in a single, blinding flash." And what can we do about the prospect of being spectacularly splattered by a killer asteroid? Absolutely nothing, that's what. Fortunately for us, the International Astronomical Union has created a special task force to keep a better eye on these so-called near-Earth objects: that way when the big one comes hurtling out of the sky they'll be able to sound a warning and we'll at least know in advance that we're about to become dust; that way we'll have time to get our affairs in order and time to... duck! No, I'm having a hard time getting despondent over the sudden cessation of summer. The media, not unlike Chicken Little, has made me all-too aware that the doggone sky is falling. Happy Back To School, kiddies, and remember: keep an eye on the sky! Andy Juniper can be visited at his Web site, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajuniper@strangledeggs.com.