Sometimes, it takes the world's most powerful nation longer to catch up with less powerful, but more socially progressive nations like Canada.

Case in point is the U.S. Senate's repeal last week of the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy governing the presence of gays in the military. The policy, which was introduced during the Clinton administration, forced gay and lesbian soldiers into the position of keeping quiet about their sexual orientation or risk expulsion from the military if they were found out.

It is astounding, not only that the U.S. instituted such a discriminatory process in the first place, but that it did so in spite of evidence that other countries reported that allowing homosexuals in the military posed no problem.

A June 1993 report to then-Senator John Warner by the U.S.'s General Accounting Office said: "Military officials from Canada, Israel, and Sweden said that, on the basis of their experience, the inclusion of homosexuals in the military is not a problem and has not adversely affected unit readiness, effectiveness, cohesion, or morale."

Noting that Canada had lifted its ban on gays in the military effective October 1992, the report also said: " . . . the military did not experience any problems in the first six months since the new policy took effect . . . according to Canadian officials and others we interviewed."

The 1992 overturning of the Canadian ban was precipitated by a lesbian air force pilot, Michelle Douglas, who said the policy violated homosexuals' Charter rights. Douglas sued after the military forced her out in 1989. Overturning the ban ushered in the dawn of a real paradigm shift in attitudes -- by 2005, the Canadian military was allowing same-sex weddings on bases.

Just as sexual orientation has nothing to do with the characteristics and traits that make an individual a productive, contributing citizen in society, sexual orientation likewise has absolutely nothing to do with defining the qualities that make a good soldier. As Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said last week: "I don't care who you love. If you love this country enough to risk your life for it, you shouldn't have to hide who you are."

"Who you are" -- as long as you're decent and hardworking -- should never make any difference to one's ability to serve.

It is a shame that in the years since the U.S. ban came into effect, approximately 13,000 troops have been expelled, many of them highly skilled, or specialists who had undergone expensive training.

Sexual orientation should never have been an issue. Thankfully, after the new policy is implemented in the U.S. over the coming year, it won't be.

True patriot love is the only kind of love the military should be concerning itself with.