The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
About 40 residents gathered at the steps of Flin Flon City Hall yesterday afternoon to take a stand against same-sex marriages. It was one of more than 300 rallies held across Canada yesterday in support of the traditional definition of wedlock. "We have come to a time where we have to start asking ourselves, 'What are we allowing to happen?'" Pastor Doug Smith of the Flin Flin Alliance Church said in an address to the crowd. "If somebody doesn't stand for this, we're just going to see further and further breakdown. I think this is our chance to make a stand." Over the summer, Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced legislation to make same-sex marriage legal across Canada, saying the issue will be voted on in the House of Commons next year. Many Canadians oppose this idea because of their religious beliefs, saying that God intended marriage to be between a man and woman only. The crowd at City Hall was receptive to the religious references made by the speakers, with several ralliers nodding in agreement. "God has given us the institute of marriage for our benefit and for our good, and we ignore it to our peril," said Pastor Smith. "As with all of God's laws, this is for our benefit," he added. Pastor Brian Gold of the Flin Flon Pentecostal Assembly drew applause when he informed the crowd that Flin Flon MP Bev Desjarlais has come out against same-sex marriages Ñ not a popular position within her New Democratic Party. "I think it's incumbent upon all of us that we send Bev a line, or an e-mail or a fax and just commend her and say, 'Thank you for standing strong,'" said Pastor Gold. See 'Belief' P.# Con't from P.# Pastor Gold said that it's his belief that traditional marriages are in place for the preservation of society. "And when you start playing around with those kind of dynamics, your society is not long to collapse, just like other societies have done so," he told the crowd. "We are responsible for speaking the truth and love on this critical issue that will affect Canadians for all future generations," added Pastor Gold. Pastor Smith told the crowd that he thinks "it's a miracle" that there is still a chance the same-sex marriage legislation won't pass given the position of the government. He said that people who oppose the concept must ensure that their voices are heard. This was the second time this year that the steps of City Hall served as a gathering spot for residents speaking out against government policy. In February, about 25 residents attended a peace rally opposing the U.S.-led war against Iraq. Naturally, organizers of yesterday's rally are hoping their cause does not meet the same fate of those who opposed the war.
