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Quebec High Court Redefines Marriage - Family Defenders forced to Pay Costs

QUEBEC CITY, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Quebec Court of Appeal, the province's highest court, has upheld the ruling of a lower court which ruled that the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The federal government initially appealed the lower court ruling but dropped out of the Hendricks and LeBoeuf v. Canada case after the high court in Ontario ruled in favour of redefining marriage.

However, the Catholic Civil Rights League and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada continued with the defence of marriage. Demonstrating its extreme activist bent, the 5-member court not only dismissed the appeal, but forced the defenders of traditional marriage to pay the court costs of the homosexual activists. Moreover, the lower court's decision to redefine marriage included a two year period of suspension to allow for the deliberations of Parliament. That suspension was also set aside by today's ruling, permitting homosexual activists Rene Leboeuf and Michael Hendricks to 'marry' immediately.

The ruling makes Quebec the third Canadian province after Ontario and B.C. to rule the traditional definition of marriage unconstitutional and permit immediate homosexual 'marriages'.

Both the Catholic Civil Rights League and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada expressed deep disappointment with the ruling. Their arguments in favour of traditional marriage were not heard but will be heard at the Supreme Court of Canada which is scheduled to hear the federal government's marriage reference on October 6-8.

See the CTV coverage of the ruling:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1079712937513_1/?hub=TopStor...

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Canadian Senate Hears Objections to Homosexual Hate Crime Bill - One Last Chance to Stop It

OTTAWA, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Yesterday pro-family groups presented their objections to homosexual hate crime bill C-250 before the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, who appeared on behalf of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) stated, "Christians who take the Bible as the Word of God have reason to be concerned that Bill C-250 will limit religious freedom on issues of sexual morality." EFC President Bruce Clemenger commented on the bill saying, "While opposing the promotion of hatred against anyone, we are deeply concerned about the chilling effect this legislation may have on the legitimate expression of religious belief. We as a religious community want to ensure that the purpose of prohibiting hate speech does not criminalize the legitimate expression of religious belief, the resulting views of morality nor religious texts."

The Canada Family Action Coalition (CFAC) presentation to the committee was made by medical doctor Andre Lafrance. Dr. Lafrance noted that the bill would restrict persons who want to speak to various concerns about "sexual orientation", in other words homosexual behaviour. Dr. Lafrance attempted to point out the medical dangers of homosexual behaviour as an example of speech that could be deemed hateful. However, he was interrupted and chastised for stating medical facts.

CFAC Executive Director Brian Rushfeldt commented that Senator Lynch Staunton "wonderfully proved our concern about oppressing free speech even when it is based on fact and truth." The senator interrupted and then said "what we have heard here today is mean-spirited...". At another point he interrupted with this comment, "I resent the attack on anyone's sexual behaviour." He also argued with the Dr. Lafrance about what should be allowed in debate for Bill C 250.

REAL Women Canada and Focus on the Family Canada also presented to the committee. In a subsequent release REAL Women Canada notes that Parliament is likely to recess around the first of April, leaving just two weeks to pass C-250 into law.

REAL Women urges that concerned citizens, deluge committee members "with demands to appear before the Committee on the basis that this is required for reasons of democracy and just plain decency." Persons representing a group before the committee will have their travel expenses covered.

Please write to:


The Rt. Hon. Paul Martin, PC, MP

Senator John Lynch-Staunton

Senator Jack Austin


and Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs at The Senate of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A4.

The Members and their email addresses are as follows:
Senator George Furey, Chair

Senator Raynell Andreychuk

Senator Tommy Banks

Senator John Buchanan

Senator Ione Christensen

Senator Anne Cools

Senator Mobina Jaffer

Senator Serge Joyal

Senator Pierre Claude Nolin

Senator Landon Pearson

Senator David Smith

Senator David Tkachuk

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Census Data Reveals Children Need a Mum and a Dad

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Focus on the Family CitizenLink article summarizes new information gleaned from 2000 U.S. Census data that reveals a child fares much better when living in a home with both a mother and father present. The data revealed that, among other things, children living in households with both parents were much less likely to suffer from poverty.

"The householders in married-couple families had higher proportions in the labor force, they owned their own home, and they were not living in poverty - all good signs for the children living in these families," Census Bureau Survey Statistician Terry Lugaila said.

"One of the wonderful things about the institution of marriage is that it's an institution that aligns the interests of mums and dads and the best interests of their children," Roland Warren told CitizenLink. Warren is spokesman for the National Fatherhood Initiative. "We just need to redouble our efforts on a national level to focus in on keeping couples married; in particular making sure that kids who are born are born to married couples obviously."

Warren also emphasized that having a family also has a very positive influence on the health of men. If married, "Men, on average, do better economically, they live longer, they're healthier, they tend to focus inward on their families as opposed to outwardly, towards some other things that could lead to financial ruin," he said.

The census results further reinforce the initiatives being encouraged by U.S. President George W. Bush. President Bush has earmarked $100 million from a welfare bonus program for promoting healthy marriages and reducing the divorce rate.

Read the CitizenLink coverage at:
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0031236.cfm

The full US Census data can be viewed in PDF format at:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/censr-14.pdf

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New Bill Proposes Congress Veto Option for Supreme Court Decisions

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new bill being proposed by 12 Republican congressmen seeks to allow congress the ability to veto the Supreme Court.

The congressmen are worried primarily about judicial activism that could overturn the partial birth abortion ban, and bring in homosexual marriage legislation.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Ron Lewis, R-Ky, proposes that if a two-thirds majority in both Congress and the Senate voted in opposition to a court decision, it would overturn a Supreme Court ruling.

Co-sponsor of the bill, Howard Coble, R-6th, told the media-general news service that the bill would not be binding on congress to act in all court decisions that overthrow law. "Just because the Supreme Court has struck down one of our laws does not mean that we would immediately go into action. We have the right to challenge the president when the president vetoes our legislation. I think it's reasonable that we have the right to challenge the court," he said.

Co-sponsor Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va said that the bill "will have a helpful effect because it may stem some of the recent judicial over-activism that we have seen." Goode referred to rulings by federal judges that overturned the partial-birth abortion ban.

"Activist judges are becoming more emboldened and the public should have the ability to rein them in," Lewis stated.

Despite the fact that co-sponsors have little hope that the bill will succeed, Goode said "I think just having the bill pending will send the message to the court."

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage "Judicial Activism Rampant In U.S. Partial-Birth Abortion Challenges" at: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1998/jul/98070204.html

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Congressmen Urge Abortion-Activist Justice Ginsburg to Opt Out of Abortion Decisions

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Thirteen Republican members of congress have written to urge Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to withdraw from rulings involving abortion. The congressmen argue that her association with the Pro-Abortion National Organization of Women Legal Defense and Education Fund disqualifies her as an impartial arbiter in such decisions.

The letter expressed grave concern over her endorsement of the feminist NOW movement. Her involvement extends to her establishment of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Distinguished Lecture Series. "As legislators, we believe your actions call into question your ability to rule with impartiality on any case involving abortion," the congressmen wrote.

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage on Ginsburg, "Pro-U.N. Feminists On White House Rampage" at: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/may/020528.html

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School Board Bars Blood Drive Since Donations from Sexually Active Homosexuals Banned

MONTREAL, March 18, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The commissioners of a Montreal school board have voted to opt out of Héma Québec's blood drive program. The board disagrees with Héma's policy to reduce HIV contamination of blood products by screening actively homosexual men from donating blood. The Commission Scolaire de Montréal believes that Héma Québec's policy sends a 'false' message to students: that sodomy is a risk factor for contracting the HIV virus.

"Héma Québec's current ban on gay donors leaves the false impression only homosexuals are at risk for contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS," board vice-chairperson Paul Trottier, who introduced the proposal, said. "As an educational institution, we cannot allow this kind of false perception to continue," Trottier said.

In fact, practicing homosexual men are much more likely to be infected with the HIV virus. In a recent presentation to the Canadian Senate, Dr. Andre Lafrance noted that in December 2001 Health Canada reported a cumulative total of 18,026 AIDS cases. "Of the 16,047 adult male AIDS cases, 77.9 per cent were attributed to men who have sex with men. That is their language for homosexual men. An additional 5 per cent was attributed to a group of men who were both men who have sex with men and intravenous drug users," said Dr. Lafrance.

Jean Marc Crête, chairperson of the Commission Scolaire (Saint) Marguerite Bourgeoys, said that schools are mandated to educate children "socially, as well as academically. I do believe it's a part of education," said Crête. "You do have a certain percentage of students who are homosexual who couldn't participate in these drives. It's very much a social issue within our school walls."

The decision by the board incited fury from members of the Canadian Hemophilia Society, who said that safety of recipients is more important than the causes of donors.

Although the incidence of HIV/AIDS is increasing in all groups, Trottier asserts that HIV transmission is not the result of homosexual sex. Statistically however, one-third of boys who adopt a homosexual lifestyle will contract HIV or be dead before the age of 30.

Send commissioner Paul Trottier an e-mail:

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage "New Research Confirms Condoms Not Effective in HIV Prevention" at: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jan/04011408.html

Also read the LifeSiteNews.com special report, "Canada's Pro-Homosexual Indoctrination Questioned Yesterday At The United Nations," which documents that almost one third of boys who adopt the homosexual lifestyle will be HIV positive or dead before the age of 30. They have the life span of a Canadian living in 1871. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jun/030612a.html

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LifeSite NewsBytes

Scalia Expects Homosexual Marriage Will Come Before Supreme Court
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/3/182004c.asp

Pro-Life poster saying "My Abortion Hurt Me" Torn up by John Kerry staff at event
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37644

Lesbian Pastor in Methodist Church Trial
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001883166_methodist19m.html

Australian PM says no plans to alter abortion laws
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/18/1079199362209.html

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