maldon_road

Of course they will appeal. They need to tell their base that they can't put up with this type of stuff. In your words: And they will also solemnly declare that, unfortunately the site will have to continue unless it is worked out in the courts. In other words they put off making a decision. I'm with you. It's turning the constitution into a ten-dollar whore. It used to be you wanted something you went to your MP. Now you go to the court whinging about "constitutional rights".

Political parties have been targeting groups on the basis of religion, language, ethnicity, geography etc since time immemorial.

Is it the role of the judiciary to determine health policy or that of the government? But that big sigh of relief you hear is from the PMO. Now they don't have to make a decision.

Are these folks kidding? Did they actually expect to hear from him? Don't they know that politics is the business that has turned meaningless, servile apologies into an art form? As they say in Ottawa, "When you can fake sincerity you have it made".

In no way do I count McCain out. Obama doesn't wear well. I don't see him very often but already I am tired of listening to the refrain, "Don't let Senator McCain serve George Bush's third term". Perhaps cute the first time but not thereafter.

If I divorce my wife can any illegitimate children I might have become a party in the divorce and claim support?

McCain is more low key than Obama but I don't know if that's relevant to the voters. The only voters who are getting excited about Obama are Dems. In the general election he will have to attract GOP voters if he hopes to win. Can't wait until the two of them debate Iraq.

What is happening in Bountiful is adultery approved by a "Church". And right now the children and wives from the second and subsequent marriages have no legal rights.

Very good point. As Prince Charles said to Princess Di "I don't intend to be the first Prince of Wales who has never had a mistress". There are ways of getting around the laws against polygamy.

Don't see how McCain benefits being seen with Bush? I would have thought he would have been the last person he would have wanted to be on stage with.

What are the views on child welfare of those opposed to abortion? If they are not willing to allow pregnant women to abort I presume they support social programs that would allow any unwanted children to be raised properly. One would be more efficient adoption procedures.

Freedom of religion.

If the courts can find SSM to be a constitutional right it'll be easy to do the same for polygamy which is practiced in many palces.

And of course the other reality - there are those who want the legislator to step in and pass laws on the issue - as in the UK. This results in compromise that doesn't satisfy anyone.

Those persons who want to fully participate in Quebec society will learn to speak French. Those that want to be part of Canada will learn English also. Bilingualism is becoming more of a reality for non-francophones in Quebec. Even those parents who don't speak French ensure their kids can.

Not sure there is anything new here. It's hardly news that some men get hit, kicked and slapped by their partners. And women can be just as controlling as men.

Not more English. Less French. As the immigrants move onto the island of Montreal, francophones move out. If you go around the periphery of the island - past Vaudreuil, in Laval, on the South Shore you will see significant housing developments. As francophones move there the newcomers take their place in Montreal.

UK House of Commons http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7409696.stm

Not a secret. "Gérard Bouchard, a prominent Chicoutimi sociologist and historian, and Charles Taylor, a world-renowned Montreal philosopher" are the authors. Commission established by Premier Charest. It will be released officially on Thursday.

The Brits are wading into some controversial areas - issues that have become ideological with medicine fighting religious conservatives. Next up - a bill to put more restrictions on abortion. (full story) EMBRYOS

This will pit those who think Quebec should take a 'conventional' approach to multi-culturalism (that we all live together respecting differences) against those who think the French language needs 'special protection' and that any efforts at accommodation weaken that. 'Enough about the hijab' (full story) HIJAB

That's the price we pay for democracy. As Churchill said, it may not be perfect but it sure beats the alternatives. I'd rather have politicians make the laws, not judges.

There's your problem with something like a constitutional charter of rights. Each succeeding generation will give it a different spin. I agree that there was no way sexual orientation could have been specifically added to the charter protections in 1982. But 20 years later the charter was used to expand the concept of marriage to include two persons of the same gender.

That's right. A matter of opinion by judges. A group of more conservative justices could have ruled that SSM was not a constitutional right. Given the nature of the issue I would have preferred for the courts to have deferred to Parliament. It's a real stretch to rule that sex discrimination is so broad a concept as to include prohibition of SSM.

The matter is clearly federal; however, this is an issue of social policy and as such is in the domain of Parliament. The courts should not have ruled on it but have left it to the elected representatives to determine.