Politics
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Thursday February 19, 1998
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PrintCANADIAN LAW TO REDEFINE "SPOUSE" AND "FAMILY"
TODAY'S HEADLINES
OTTAWA, Feb 19 (LSN) - The Canada Family Action Council has issued an action alert to pro- family leaders warning of the federal government's intended legal redefinition of "spouse". In a review of the Canadian Immigration Act, changes to the traditional definitions of the terms "spouse" and "family" are being proposed.
Recommendation # 32 states: "For the purposes of the Immigration and Citizenship Act, "spouse" should be defined as 1) a partner through a marriage legal in the jurisdiction in which it occurred or, 2) a partner in an intimate relationship, including cohabitation of at least one year in duration, with the burden of proof resting on the applicant in either case."
Recommendation # 34 states: "The requirements of the new Family Class should reflect the principles that 1) the definition of family is evolving over time and differs among cultural and ethnic communities
Back to TopPARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE TO STUDY PROTECTION OF PREBORN?
OTTAWA, Feb 19 (LSN) - Last Thursday Canadian Senator Hon. Stanley Haidasz, proposed the establishment of a "Special Joint Committee on the Unborn Child." The committee is to "examine and report upon the feasibility of legislating in the area of fetal rights and the protection to the unborn child." The pro-life senator urged the committee to pay special attention to the "lack of protection in current Canadian law of the unborn child."
Noting that the 1997 case of the Winnipeg solvent addicted mother signaled a gap in current Canadian law respecting the rights of the unborn, Senator Haidasz reminded his colleagues that the Supreme Court judges in this case called for Parliament to enact legislation around the issue. The Senator urged the committee to "report back to Parliament with proposed alternative measures to protect the unborn child," no later than December 31, 2000. Senator Haidasz will formally present the motion in the Senate on February 25.
PROMISE KEEPERS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (LSN) - Promise Keepers, the men's movement which encouraged fathers to take responsibility for their families and live a Christian life, is in financial crisis. Reuters reported this morning that the group has had to lay off its entire staff of 345 workers, and continue with volunteers only.
Founder Bill McCartney, a football coach at the University of Colorado, and member of the pro-life group Operation Rescue, told staff the bad news saying "I have a broken heart. But I don't have a discouraged heart. I have a heart that is filled with hope." Last year the group decided to offer the stadium rallies relying on donations alone for revenue. In the past the group charged $60 for attendance at stadium rallies and such fees accounted for 72 percent of its income.
A BRIGHT HOPE FOR CALIFORNIA
LONG BEACH, Feb 19 (LSN) - State Attorney General Dan Lungren formally launched his bid for governor of California today. The pro-life politician daringly hit at the heart of the social decay in America saying, "We are going to be a campaign that does not believe that separation of church and state means separation of public debate and religious values." "If we are in fact to be a successful people, we have to be a religious people as well," he said.
With no major opposition from Republicans, the primary in June is set for a battle between the conservative Christian right and the liberal anti-Christian left. On stage with Gov. Pete Wilson and former Gov. George Deukmejian, Lungren's eyes welled up and his voice faltered when he introduced his 82-year-old father and 80-year-old mother at a stop in Long Beach. Lungren told supporters that his campaign will "reinstate the idea that the family is important" and "be about virtue in government. It will be about virtue in society."
Likely, the best compliment to Lungren was a critical comment from the California Democratic Party, whose campaign advisor said, "Californians will not elect a person who is anti-choice, anti-environment and pro-gun, even if he prays at press conferences."
EU TO FORCE IRELAND TO PROMOTE ABORTION AND HOMOSEXUALITY
DUBLIN, Feb 19 (LSN) - The Irish Times reported that on Tuesday the European Parliament adopted a report condemning Ireland for banning pro-abortion propaganda. The report "demands" that access to such information be ensured in all member-states. The EU parliament's committee on civil liberties and internal affairs prepared the report. Fianna Fáil Munster MEP, Mr Brian Crowley, criticized the report saying that the matter was outside the competence of the EU.
Crowley also noted that the annual report on respect for human rights within the EU called on member-states to recognize what amounted to "marriages between homosexuals." He urged that these matters were for each member-state to determine itself.
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