The Communities Ministers 'confidence in the Parades Commission' is nothing more than surrender.

For too long the role of Communities Minister has been an ugly charade, a game of cat and mouse played between each community, and most importantly, the people in those communities.

New to the job, and already throwing out Republican talking points, the new Unionist Communities Minister has fallen into the trap many of his predecessors have also. Namely, that respecting the traditions of Unionists, makes the Communities Minister complicit in an 'ugly charade'.

Since I first entered politics, I have seen, almost each and every year, Unionist traditions being derided and sidelined by the Republicans and soft-Unionists, who but into the fact that 'conciliatory unionism' is anything less than surrender. Unfortunately, the new Communities Minister is making the same mistakes.

Certainly, however, it is refreshing to see them stand in support of the Ulster-Scots language, something other Unionists have been quick to deride and ignore. Indeed, when this was last raised in the assembly, the entire lot of them voted it down!

Regrettably, that is where the good news ends. A naive approach to Unionism seems to be the name of the game. Unionism must be protected, our traditions protected - because whenever the Republicans are asked, revocation and backtracking on our cultural heritage, is the name of the game, each and every time. After all, why seek to preserve a culture that you consistently want to crush - Unionism?

Unlike Republicans, we Unionists don't want to see Northern Ireland cease to exist. We have a vested interest in protecting Unionist culture, Republicans, do not.

This naivety shows itself in the Ministers approach to the Parades Commission, and their insistence that they have 'full confidence in them, is nothing short of surrender.

It is paramount that any review of the Commission bein with the statutory affirmation and protection of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, and the right to parade. Legislation ought to specifically declare which routes are traditional for Unionist Communities, and arterial routes should be protected in favour of parading, not against it.

In its present form, the Parades Commission does not do this, and it must be abolished. Any Unionist that does not recognise that, should reconsider their affiliation.

Finally, the Communities Minister misses the mark on their understanding of the ways in which religion has been completely dismantled in Northern Ireland in the past few years.

Ending the right for parents to send their children to a religious school, is little more than a complete and all-out assault on the rights of religious communities,. Faith schools are banned in Northern Ireland thanks to the devastating actions of previous administrations, and it is beyond disappointing to see parties still consistently failing to realise that their silence on this issue does nothing more than drum up anti-christian sentiment across Ulster.

Whilst the Communities Minister is responsive, they are still new to the role, and have much to learn - and I wish them well.