Congratulations to The Surrey-North Delta Leader for having the courage to write about last weekend’s Pride Festival (“Surrey Pride Festival July 7 at Holland Park,” July 4).
Along with our two children, my wife and I were pleased to celebrate the festival’s 14th year in our city. It demonstrates how far we’ve come, standing up for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and working together to end homophobia and transphobia.
We must continue to secure acceptance and equal rights for Canada’s LGBTTQ community.
While Pride parades and festivals continue across British Columbia this summer, one person who doesn’t represent this view and was noticeably absent on Sunday was MP Russ Hiebert (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale).
To understand Mr. Hiebert’s reasons for not supporting thousands of his constituents who were at the festival, I went online and read this disturbing comment he made in Parliament on same-sex marriage:
“In summation, I support the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others..It [Bill C-38] will negatively impact children, their parents and teachers. (Source, and to read more: http://openparliament.ca/debates/2005/3/24/russ-hiebert-1/).
Contrast that with federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s message for Pride last week, wishing Canadians a happy Pride season on the 10th anniversary of Canada’s first same-sex marriage, and I can safely say I know who cares about the world I want my children to grow up in.
Mr. Hiebert is ignorant of what the word negative really means and certainly doesn’t speak for this parent.
Will Mbaho
Surrey