12 - Sunday, June 12, 1994 - North Shore News

INQUIRING REPORTER

Le cepmesammnen nantes moe anectchouna inanscheneeetantarme rman heteaed

LETS GET one thing straight — not everybody is. To
address this fact of life, the Ontario NDP government tried to

puss iegislation that would have expanded the definition of

spouse to include partners iu lesbian and gay relationships.
Bill 167, which was struck down during second reading last
Thursday, would have affected more than 50 laws pertaining
to employee benefits and pension plans, inheritance, division
of property, and hospital visitation rights for same-sex cou-
pies. Judging by the media coverage, this was obviously an

ATE PORATED PTTEER CAE IN SOA Pa AEE AOS TTT! 1

emotional issue for a lot of peupte. On the ene hand were the
Christian right and those who argued that the legislation
would destroy the sanctity of marriage and contribute to the
meltdown of the family, while others said that ii would hardly
affect the tives of those who are so vehemenily opposed to it.
expanding the definition of common-law to include domestic
partnerships could have allewed more members of society to
be protected with legal rights. Although it was defeated, this is
not an issue that is going to go away.

Should the definition of common-law be expanded to include same-sex couples?

Jeany Morton

North Vancouver

Yes. because | think iUs a
part of realy right now.
There area lot of sante-sex

‘vouples and } think they

deserve the same rights as
opposite-sex couples.

Steve Pickering
North Vancouver
No. 1 don't care what they

do. but they shouldn't be’

able to bring up children
Everyone in the world
knows thar children aed a
mother and a father.

dudy White

West Vancouver

. because a relationship
is a relationship and as such
it should be recognized. If a
couple has been together for
a ceruun amount of time
Whey should quidify for the
sani benelits.

Julie Coley

North Vancouver

Yos. } think the definition
of family is undergoing
changes and these changes,
especially in the types of
families, should he recog.
nized. Mv relationship ts
recognized by law, wiry

Matthew Gray

North Vancouver

No.1 just don’t believe that
it’s natural.

shouldn't others be?

SURVEY TEAM ty tent TS

. aw : Br EAKDON
THE NORTH Shore News survey team telephoned 424 North x
and West Vancouver residents (o find out whether you agree with YES
expanding the definition of common-law to incfude same-sex Horseshoe Bay 26% 65% 50% 4%
couples. The following is a complete breakdown of survey results: "Dundarave/Ambleside one a) CT

__ British Properties

37% 53%
"~~ Norgate/Pemberion Heights 26% Ol
Capilano/Delbrook 1 Highlands. 12% 66%
Lower Lonsdale 2396 53%
__ Central and Upper Lonsdale 15% 710%
Lynn Valley _ 36% 589
Blueridge/Deep Cove . 26'%0 54%
TOTAL seennesaceneusnsenssersonsecssenseanne QGe M% GiW%

vo NO DON'T
‘0 OPINION KNOW

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