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Death Watch on Again for Canada's National Post Newspaper

Was one of the most readable and intellectually invigorating newspapers in the world

TORONTO, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Conservative leaning Canadians had their prayers for a fair-minded, centre-right national newspaper answered in October 1998, when the National Post was launched. The remodelled Financial Post, which Conrad Black bought earlier that year, was a refreshing and intellectually written alternative to the dominant social liberal media establishment.

Pro-life and pro-family Canadians found in the National Post the fairest (that is not to say fair) coverage of issues dear to their hearts. LifeSite Daily News often quoted or referred to National Post stories. Conversely, LifeSite was made aware a number of times that some National Post writers regularly kept tabs on LifeSite and would often pick up on its story leads and produce their own news items or columns based on those leads.

Unfortunately, for the second time in two years, National Post readers are disheartened to see major changes in the paper, changes that faithful readers and Post critics alike say are clearly for the worse. As London Free Press columnist Herman Goodden noted, "The death watch seems to be on again at the National Post."

See this complete LifeSite Special Report at:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jun/030623a.html

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Canadian Bishop Warns Priests Who Officiate at Homosexual 'Marriages' Will Be Suspended

OTTAWA, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ottawa Archbishop Marcel Gervais responded to inquiries from reporters today on homosexual 'marriage'. In his communications, forwarded to LifeSite by the archdiocese, the Archbishop warned that any Catholic clergy officiating at a homosexual 'marriage' ceremony would be suspended. "In the Catholic Church, an attempted marriage of two of the same sex would not be recognized and the person officiating would be suspended from their sacred duties," he said.

Archbishop Gervais stressed that no change in civil law or even a ruling from the Supreme Court would alter the Catholic Church's position on marriage. "We will continue to support the recognition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others," he said. "Even if the Supreme Court of Canada gave its approval, the Catholic Church would not permit any of its licensed personnel to celebrate these relationships as marriages."

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United Nations Report says Condoms Fail to Protect against AIDS 10% of the Time

Report a blow to those who maintain condoms provide 100% protection

UNITED NATIONS, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The United Nations AIDS
agency (UNAIDS) has published a draft of a study, due out at the end of the month, which shows that condoms are ineffective in protecting against HIV an estimated 10% of the time. The admission from the UN, which is far lower than some studies which have shown larger than 50% failure rates, is a blow to population control activists which have aggressively and misleadingly marketed condoms in the third world as 100% effective.

The Boston Globe, which reviewed the draft report, demonstrates the false marketing of the notorious population control advocacy group, Population Action International (PAI). A September 2002 report, ''Condoms Count,'' published by PAI, said, ''Public health experts around the globe agree that condoms block contact with bodily fluids that can carry the HIV virus and have nearly 100 percent effectiveness when used correctly and consistently.''

The report examined two decades of scientific literature on condoms and UNAIDS says lead author Norman Hearst, "makes a cogent argument that we should be talking about safer sex, not safe sex, with condoms."

The Globe quotes Edward C. Green, a senior research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, saying, the one in ten failure rate of condoms protection from AIDS, is "not good enough for a fatal disease." "He said, "The way condoms are marketed in Africa and other developing parts of the world is as if they were 100 percent safe. Condoms have brand names like Shield and Protector that gives the impression that they are 100 percent safe."

Vinand M. Nantulya, a former advisor to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, warned, "If we tell youth that if you use condoms, you will be safe, then we are actually fueling the epidemic." Uganda's AIDS fighting program, which stressed abstinence first and being faithful second and condoms only if one was crazy enough to forego the first two, has been seen as the only successful program in reversing the AIDS tide in Africa.

Aside from AIDS, condoms are also known to provide even less protection from a variety of other sexually transmitted diseases.

See the Globe coverage:
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/173/nation/UN_report_adds_to_a_condom_debate+....

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U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Law Keeping Children Away From Porn in Libraries

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). The American Library Association (ALA) had challenged the law, passed by Congress in 2000, saying it turned libraries and librarians into censors.

In its 5-4 decision, the Court disagreed, saying the law does not turn librarians into censors because libraries can disable the filters for any patrons who ask and therefore is not too burdensome.

CIPA requires that public schools and libraries, in exchange for federal monies or subsidies to be used for Internet access, take certain steps to reduce the possibility that those using school and library Internet service could access obscene material. Every school and library involved has the ability to reject the federal funds and thus avoid the conditions attached to their receipt.

Family Research Council Presiden Ken Connor said the law is common sense and applauds the Court for upholding it. "Libraries should be safe-zones of quiet and learning for children," Connor said. "Libraries are not obligated to provide pornography to patrons at taxpayer expense. Why should it be any different with the Internet?"

Conservative library patrons have noted a common tendency for public libraries to refuse to stock pro-life, pro-family and religious titles and resources or otherwise solidly conservative books and magazines. The very left-wing ALA does in fact often practice censorship subtly or otherwise but only in the direction of advancing its liberal ideology.

See coverage from the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22882-2003Jun23.html

See
THE INTERNET AND THE SEDUCTION OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
http://www.fflibraries.org/Basic_Docs/biehle.htm

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Abortion Ship Pelted With Eggs and Paint and Searched by Polish Customs Officers

Bishop described the boat crew's objective as "killing Poles."

WLADYSLAWOWO, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Dutch abortion ship, the brain child of abortion-activist Rebecca Gomperts, was to dock in Poland Saturday but was kept offshore by a storm. When the ship arrived Sunday it was met with a hail of eggs, red paint and shouts condemning the abortionists aboard as "murderers" and "Gestapo". Polish customs officials searched the boat looking for abortion pills which are illegal in Poland.

The large demonstration of some 200 people, which included All-Poland Youth and Catholic League of Polish Families, dwarfed the few people who applauded the ship's arrival. Catholic Church leaders were adamantly opposed to the ship's entry into Poland. "We must not let criminals enter our territorial waters and perform crimes on our children," the Archbishop of Gdansk, Tadeusz Goclowski, said during a Mass on Thursday. He described the boat crew's objective as "killing Poles."

A search by customs officials found the ship did indeed contain the illegal abortion drugs. However, government spokesman Malgorzata Wilkosz-Sliwa, said "If no-one tries to distribute [the pills], then there is no crime."

See related LifeSite coverage:
ANTI-CATHOLIC GROUP AND THE "SEA CHANGE" OFFSHORE ABORTION CAMPAIGN
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/may/00052401.html
DUTCH OFFICIALLY APPROVE FLOATING ABORTUARY
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/jul/02070208.html

See the News24 coverage:
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1376910,00.html

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United Church Of Canada Endorses 'Marriage' for Homosexuals, Other Churches Object

TORONTO, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a statement released Friday, the United Church of Canada commended the Prime Minister and the Liberal Cabinet on their announcement that the Federal Government will soon draft legislation to legally recognize same-sex civil 'marriages'. "The responsible leadership and courage that the Chretien government has demonstrated in making this announcement, is most encouraging," said the head of the church (Moderator), the Right Rev. Dr. Marion Pardy.

In addition to supporting abortion, the United Church has long supported homosexuality. A United Church of Canada release says, "In 2000, the 37th General Council affirmed that human sexual orientations, whether heterosexual or homosexual, are a gift from God and part of the marvelous diversity of creation." The Council further resolved to advocate for the civil recognition of same-sex partnerships. In a presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in February 2003, the United Church recommended that the federal government adopt a legislative framework that provides the same civil recognition for heterosexual and homosexual couples.

"The federal government, in proposing this approach to same-sex unions, has essentially adopted a position that mirrors that of The United Church of Canada," explained Choice Okoro, Program Officer for Human Rights. "We rejoice in anticipation of Parliament finally adopting legislation that will recognize the fundamental right of gay and lesbian couples to be legally married."

The National Post reported last week that Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim and Hindu leaders have spoken out against recognition of the redefinition of marriage.

See the United Church of Canada press release:
http://www.united-church.ca/news/2003/0620.shtm

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Australia Gives Initial Approval to Over-the-Counter Abortifacient Morning-After Pill

SYDNEY, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Australian government's National Drugs and Poisons Committee gave initial approval to a proposal to allow pharmacists to distribute the abortifacient morning after pill to women without a prescription. The decision last week to allow the drug company Schering's Postinor-2 to be distributed over the counter will take force after a vote by the committee in October, leaving the public time to comment on the measure.

The news drew immediate criticism from the pro-life movement, the Catholic Church, and the Australian Medical Association (AMA). Both the Catholic Church and the pro-life movement condemned the false advertising of the pill as a contraceptive rather than admitting it is abortifacient. The AMA said it could be dangerous to skip a doctor's prescription. The AMA said the Committee's decision, "has the potential to seriously impact on the health and well-being of Australian women.' AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson said pharmacies are not the right environment for sexual health counseling.

See coverage from the Daily Telegraph and the AMA release:
http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6637998%255E21302...
http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/WEEN-5NPA8E

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Adult Bone Marrow in Successful Cell Regeneration

LONDON, Ont., June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A group of scientists at Canada's Robarts Research Institute in London, Ont. have discovered that adult stem cells from bone marrow can trigger regeneration of severely damaged organs including the pancreas. The process has been done only with mice so far.

"The bone marrow stem cells interacted with the pancreas and basically triggered the pancreas to regenerate on its own. ... This is a completely unprecedented property of bone marrow stem cells," says Dr. Mickie Bhatia, who directed the research. There is no reason to think it wouldn't work in humans, Bhatia added. "It certainly raises intriguing therapeutic possibilities."

For newswire coverage:
http://canada.com/national/story.asp?id=43DC4D8A-53C9-4625-B224-7621051FD708

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Opinion Leader Rebukes Canadian Church Leaders

LONDON, Ont., June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - London Free Press columnist Rory Leishman lashed out against poor leadership in the Canadian churches, citing the "brazen affronts" to Catholic teaching of such "Catholic" leaders as Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Eileen Gillese, who are imposing homosexual marriage on Canadians.

"Has any Canadian bishop ever publicly pointed out to even one of these miscreants that he or she is no longer in good standing with the church and should have the integrity to choose voluntarily to abstain from receiving holy communion until he or she has a change of heart? Not at all," Leishman laments.

Leishman also cites Finance Minister John Manley, a pro-homosexual Presbyterian whose church has failed to rebuke him publicly.

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Belgium Strengthens Assisted Suicide, Ponders Including Those Under 18

Brussels, June 23, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Belgian legislators are planning to extend the country's assisted suicide law to allow the procedure for those under the age of 18, according to a report from Dutch news services. The vow came as Belgian coalition leaders issued a threat that all hospitals must provide euthanasia services -- a threat provoked by the refusal of "some" Catholic hospitals to comply.

"Those under the age of 18 feel pain in exactly the same way as their elders," said Flemish Liberal Senator Jeannine Le-Duc told the Gazet van Antwerpen.

Not everyone agrees. "Euthanasia for a seven-year-old kid -- there's no way," said Liberal Senator Philippe Monfils.

For newswire coverage:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=33199

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LifeSite Newsbytes

Liberal 'Think Tank' Says U.S. Judicial Confirmation Process is Bogged Down
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0026577.html

The EU Constitution lays down NGOs' ideals in stone.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-murray062303.asp

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