NOveMBer 19, 2003 News 4 . Nursing professor John Cutcliffe was one of twenty researchers and faculty selected from across Canada to participate in a science and innovation symposium in Ottawa. The annual symposium, focused on advancing research and innovation in Canadian universities, was organised by the Partnership Group for Science and Engineering, an association of over twenty national organisations. UNBC was the only northern universities represented. UNEC had the second-highest representation at the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies student conference, which took place from October 24 - 26 in Edmonton. Students Donna Atkinson, Heidi Standeven, Doris Dreyer, Brenda Guernsey, Joanna Kafarowski, Shona Barbour, Laura Way, and Gareth Whyte presented research on topics as diverse as village-level change in the Komi Republic, Russia since the fall of communism and environmental issues and perceptions of landscape in the Kitsumkalum community near Terrace. UNBC anthropology professor Jim McDonald was also re-elected as vice-president of ACUNS at the conference. UNBC graduates gave the university top marks in a province-wide alumni survey. 39% of UNBC grads rated their quality of their educa- tion as “very good,” the top in the province in that category. UNBC also beat UBC, SFU, and UVic for helping students develop written and verbal communication skills. In general, the survey found that UNBC grads make more money and are more likely to stay in the : photo by Becky Booth President of CUPE speaks to protesters at the BC Rail rally on north than other BC university grads. November 3. A large crowd of Prince George citizens were present at the rally. : Ring Bearer or Pallbearer An interviewing a partner in a recent same-sex marriage By Rory Conroy Many people, if not all, have dreams and aspirations involving a spouse or partner. The most common and yet perhaps the most profound of relationships in our society is , that of marriage. Marriage is both a declaration and a con- firmation: a declaration of love and commitment; a confir- mation and recognition by society of ones right and capaci- ty to enter into that union. Being denied the right to declare the union of marriage before the world not only marginal- izes some Canadians, it defeats the culmination of a rela- tionship leaving a hollow unfulfillment. To better clarify why a society- based recognition is so important to same-sex partners, and to explore some of the ramifications of the issue, OTE was granted an interview with one of the partners in a recently solemnized same-sex matriage. OTE: Given that more and more people are living com- mon law, why is it important to you to be blessed with the sanctity of marriage? . MTH: I don’t think it has anything to do with other peo- ples choices except for that small and seemingly insignifi- cant fact, they get to choose to live common law. There are absolutely tons of people, gay and straight, who do not believe in the sanctity of marriage and who want (and find) alternative ways of marking their relationships. To me, this struggle has always been about the right to choose that legal blessing. We are all diminished when we deny to some what is freely accessible to others. S OTE: Some religious organizations and politicians have suggested that a same sex union could be accomplished through the means of a Registered Domestic Partnership or some similar concept. Why is this not acceptable? MTH: If you want to introduce a DP make sure it is open to straights and open marriage to gays, so everyone has the same choices. Otherwise, it’s marriage lite. Why offer a sec- ond rate solution, when we know segregation doesn’t work. Its like being a little bit pregnant. You either are or aren't. OTE: Many: gays and lesbians hold the deepest belief (sometimes a religious belief) that they must avail them- selves of the covenant of marriage. Many other people, het- erosexuals, also hold a deeply religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. How can we reconcile these two solitudes? MTH: We don’t have to. We live in a secular state not a church state. People are perfectly free to believe and pursue their religious convictions within their churches as they see fit. | am not asking any church that doesn’t accept me as a free, equal and respected to bless my covenant. The pro- posed law is reiterating the fact no church will ever have to do anything it doesn’t want to not that the appeal for equal- ity has ever asked that of them. OTE: Some gays and lesbians have rejected marriage as a heterosexual, gendered construct ensconced in a patriarchal society. How can there be such division in the gay commu- nity? MTH: Because were homosexuals not homogeneous. Just like the straight folks we have our divisions that are based in gender, political ideology, race we don’t put simply - all _think the same. OTE: Family is the basic unit of society upon which all else rests. Many heterosexuals, married or otherwise, feel immi- nently threatened by the encroachment of same sex unions, legal or not, on the traditional family. MTH: I am not sure I agree with your comment about family upon which all else rests. Ironically, I think same sex marriage is probably more supportive of family life and societal stability than otherwise. This is one of the major rea- sons many homosexuals are opposed to the same sex case. They see homosexuals getting co-opted into the mainstream society and losing the radical edge. What may be more threatening to the stability of the family is divorce rates. Most Canadians are on a par with Pierre Trudeau, they actu- ally don’t give a damn what their neighbours get up to in the bedroom as long as they don’t do it in streets and frighten the horses. I also want to stress that I see the opposition as very small, resting in very extreme religious and political views that most Canadians aren’t comfortable with. OTE: Some religious organizations are worried that they will be forced to perform same-sex marriages and will be restricted.in reading and teaching from their bible. Can you ease their fears? MTH: I think this is a huge fear mongering red herring. We have freedom of religion in this country. There is no way any church could be forced to perform services or teach _ tenets they did not believe. In fact, it is in order to assuage these groundless fears that the text of the proposed law reit- erates that freedom. ; OTE: Confusing for many is the desire of some gays and lesbians to bear children and raise families. Is this not taking equality of difference and equality of sameness to precipi- tous heights in rights bearing? MTH: I don’t get your point - Just because you love some- one of the same sex doesn’t mean you lose the ability or the desire to procreate. Some gays come with ready made fami- lies because many gays and lesbians don’t come out till later in life and already have families they are engaged in raising. The criteria for bearing and raising children should be the capacity of the parents to love and raise children well, not their gender. To be a parent should be a verb, not a noun. OTE: Should the courts decide? Or must the courts decide? MTH: I absolutely believe the benefits of winning this fight won't be gained by me or my generation, there is too many people around for whom it is not only okay and but also nécessary to hate gay people. But the generation coming up, the little nephew who can see their favourite uncle marry the man he loves and see it celebrated and affirmed by his parents, his family, his community and society that’s where we will see change. Fighting for this has a huge price, but it is worth it.