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Canadian Federal Election Buzz - May 31

*Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe has been quoted saying his party supports gay 'marriage' since it is a human rights issue.
* Belinda Stronach who ran against Stephen Harper for the Conservative Leadership was featured on CBC Sunday night where she said she supported abortion - was "pro-choice" and it was noted that she supported homosexual 'marriage'
* Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin has said he would resign in two years if he fails to improve Canada's health care system; enhance living conditions in cities; and maintain social programs without going into deficit.
* There are seven small parties fielding candidates nationally: Canadian Action, Christian Heritage, Communist, the Green, the Marijuana Party, the Marxist-Leninists and the Progressive Canadian Party.
* The only federal party with a pro-life policy is the Christian Heritage Party
* A Campaign Life Coalition leader reports that each of the 3 candidates in the riding of Sault Ste. Marie will claim to be pro-life. Each is an active member of a Christian congregation. Each has responded to the CLC questionnaire in one manner or other.

Liberal MP Jerry Pickard in Trouble

The May 29 London Free Press reported there are more signs that Liberal MP Jerry Pickard (Chatham-Kent-Essex) is in trouble. Pickard claims to be pro-life, but, in 2003, voted for the anti-life Bill C-13, which now provides for the killing of live human embryos in order to extract their stem cells for experimental purposes. Pickard is rumoured to be furious with Campaign Life Coalition for reporting on his recent anti-life record in a report card that CLC sent to his constituents last month.

Now Pickard has another headache. One of his former Liberal colleagues from the House of Commons, Rex Crawford (MP for Kent from 1988-1997), has endorsed his Conservative opponent Dave Van Kesteren. Crawford, who had a strong pro-life record in Parliament, represented the Chatham area, which Pickard needs to win in order to be re-elected. "It's time for a change," said the 71 year old Crawford, explaining his support for the pro-life Van Kesteren this way: "When I heard him speak I said, 'This is what we need in Ottawa.'" Pickard's response to the loss of Crawford's support: "I can't judge why Rex made the decision he has made…That's his choice." Crawford hasn't completely abandoned his old party, however. He plans to vote for the re-election of pro-life Liberal MP Rose Marie Ur who is running in Middlesex-Lambton-Kent.

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NDP to Close Private Abortion Clinics replacing them with Public Institutions says Candidate

OTTAWA, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ottawa-Vanier New Democratic Party candidate Ric Dagenais was interviewed on the Lowell Green show on Ottawa-based CFRA radio May 25.

Responding to a question by Green Dagenais said the NDP would "phase out private abortion clinics and replace them with public institutions."

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Prominent Albertan Says "Liberals have engineered" election to ensure same-sex marriage issue will be invisible during election period

CALGARY, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - University of Calgary professor and
Alberta's Senator-Elect, Ted Morton, has accused the federal government and courts of engineering a three-part, Machiavellian pre-election scheme to prevent gay 'marriage' legal recognition from being addressed during the election.

Morton wrote in his May 22 Calagary Herald article that:
1. the government's recent Supreme Court reference on same-sex marriage
2. the ramming through the Senate of Svend Robinson's Bill C-250
3. the delay of the election call long enough to allow the Supreme Court to rule to uphold the Liberals' gag law
- all conspired to delay final decisions and shut down public debate on the court-ordered, radical social change measure during the 36 day election period.

Morton reported that "the chilling effect on policy debate is already evident" since Focus on the Family has cancelled its planned media campaign promoting traditional marriage for fear of prosecution. "If this is a preview of Canadian democracy in the 21st century, God help us!", Morton added.

In response to these developments, the often outspoken Albetan suggests that provincial governments, and specifically Alberta, could act to protect Canadian democracy by requesting a temporary injunction against the enforcement of C-250 for the duration of the election.

Morton emphasizes, "If the Supreme Court won't defend Charter freedoms against Liberal manipulation, then the provinces should".

See also
US Senate to Consider Hate-Crimes Amendment
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0032255.cfm
and
US 'Hate crimes' bill: Prescription for tyranny
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38708

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Canadian Union Leader Claims 'Hate Crime Against Gays' but Toronto Police Say "No"

Police say "no evidence to suggest a hate-motivated break and enter"

TORONTO, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Globe and Mail story which falsely implied a link between a LifeSiteNews.com story and a recent act of vandalism, was enough evidence for Canadian Auto Workers Union president Buzz Hargrove to declare a "hate crime against gays." The Globe and Mail reported that the offices of Toronto-based Tapestry Pictures, producers of an anti-Catholic pro-homosexual film, were vandalized.

The made-for-TV movie that Tapestry produced is about former Oshawa Catholic high school student Marc Hall who, in 2002, sued his Catholic high school to force them to allow him to bring his homosexual boyfriend to the school prom.

The Globe reporter with a seeming conspiracy-theory mentality attempted to portray the vandalism as motivated by hatred of homosexuals rather than robbery. Reporter Gayle MacDonald wrote "Tapestry's west-end offices were broken into and badly damaged, however nothing -- no computers, camera equipment or readily available cash -- was stolen."

Contradicting the Globe story, Toronto Police say that goods were stolen during the incident. Detective James Hogan of the Toronto Police Hate Crimes Unit spoke with LifeSiteNews.com today. Detective Hogan said "according to the report there was property stolen."

Hargrove took the Globe story as enough evidence to declare an anti-gay hate crime - a serious charge in Canada currently since with new hate crime laws being enacted it is a criminal charge carrying a penalty of up to two years in prison. "Given the reported heightened anti-gay activity on the internet in recent weeks aimed at denouncing 'Prom Queen, said Hargrove, "it seems clear the trashing of Tapestry Pictures is a hate crime against gays."

However Detective Hogan told LifeSiteNews.com that the incident "is not being considered a hate crime by the Toronto police." He noted that "at this point there is no evidence to suggest a hate-motivated break and enter".

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Globe and Mail Falsely Implies Link from LifeSiteNews.com article to 'Hate Crime' Vandalism
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/04052701.html
CTV to Celebrate Anti-Catholic Gay-Activist Episode in Toronto with Mini-Series
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/04050507.html
Canadian Homosexual Activists on EGALE List-Serve Discuss How to Shut Down LifeSite
Focus on Family rep says "gay activists want to wipe out any dissenting opinion"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/04051102.html
LifeSiteNews.com and Pro-family Groups Subject to Intimidation From Gay Rights Leaders
Psychological warfare 'jamming' technique seeks to instill doubt in minds of pro-family persons
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/040503a.html

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British Abortion Rate Skyrockets as Couples Eliminate "Defective" Children

"This is straightforward eugenics" says pro-life leader

LONDON, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The UK's Daily Mail has revealed that British women are increasingly eliminating their unborn children because of non life-threatening deformities such as deformed feet or cleft lips and palates. The report also reveals that more Down's Syndrome babies are now killed than are allowed to be born. With improved screening, the author warns, the trend looks likely to only increase.

London's Metropolitan University ethicist Jacqueline Laing said, 'These figures are symptomatic of a eugenic trend of the consumerist society hell-bent on obliterating deformity - and at what cost to its own humanity? We are obliterating the willingness of people to accept disability," Laing continued. "Babies are required to fit a description of normality before they are allowed to be born."

In the UK, the Abortion Act makes it legal to abort a child right up to its due date if the child is deemed to have a serious risk of mental or physical deformity. Abortions can be carried out for any reason up until the 24th week of pregnancy. Significant increases in abortion rates for children with non-serious deformities such as cleft lips or palates have risen markedly. In 2002, the Office for National Statistics revealed an eight percent increase in this type of abortion. This figure does not include all babies aborted for similar reasons before the 24th week of pregnancy.

"These statistics are horrifying and show the highly consumerist attitude which is now pervading human relationships," said Joanna Jepson, a Church of England curate. She has repeatedly called for an investigation into the abortion of a 28-week old unborn baby for cleft lip and palate. "I don't think anyone had any idea that so many babies had been aborted for cleft lip and palate. The fact that two were aborted for cleft lip alone is a slur on people with the condition. "I cannot believe the medical profession are standing by decisions to abort babies for these reasons," she said.

In 2002, 1,863 babies were aborted for reasons of suspected "deformity" -- an eight percent increase over the previous 1,722 aborted in 2001, whereas Down's Syndrome abortions were up by 17 percent from 591 in 2001 to 691 in 2002.

"This is straightforward eugenics," UK's LIFE Trustee Nuala Scarisbrick said. "The message is being sent out to disabled people that they should not have been born. It is appalling and abhorrent."

"Such statistics are an indictment of a society which places a conditional value upon its citizens, based upon how 'useful' they may prove to be in later life," LIFE's Patrick Cusworth said.

Read the LifeSiteNews.com Extra-Special Report (pdf):
The Inherent Racism of Population Control
http://www.lifesite.net/waronfamily/Population_Control/Inherentracism.pdf

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Bush Says Presidency About Changing Culture

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - President Bush gave an interview to religion writers May 26, in which he said that the purpose of his presidency is to "change cultures" and saying that this desire was a motivating principle since he went into politics. He characterized the current American culture of permissiveness, saying the trend is to say, "If it feels good, do it, and if you've got a problem, blame somebody else." The shift the president hopes to inculcate would be one towards a culture of responsibility, "in which each of us understands we're responsible for the decisions we make in life."

Bush characterized the new cultural environment as "the era of responsibility" part of which, "is the responsibility that comes with promoting taking care of your bodies to the point where we can promote a culture of life." Bush called his work with Fr. Richard J. Neuhaus, the prominent Catholic spokesman and editor of First Things magazine, "integral" to the development of the administration's position on abortion, "which," he said, "is: Every child welcomed to life and protected by law. That is the goal of this administration."

Regarding the Bush administration's faith-based initiatives in social programmes, the president said that government has a role in helping individuals "by standing with those who have heard a call to love a neighbor." He said, "Government can hand out money, but it cannot put love in people's hearts or a sense of purpose in people's lives."

In contrast to the anti-religious trend in public services in Canada and some European countries, Bush endorses the expression of religious motives by faith-based programmes. He said, "One of the real challenges we've had, of course, is to say to the faith community, 'Come in, the social service money is available for you and oh, by the way, you can keep the cross on the wall or the Star of David in your temple without fear of government retribution.'" He admitted that it has been a "mighty struggle" to get support for this liberal attitude towards religious expression within government circles.

Calling traditional marriage an institution that promotes "hope and stability," President Bush reiterated his support for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the exclusive union of one man with one woman. He said, marriage "is the commitment between a man and a woman. That shared responsibility is the cornerstone-has been the cornerstone-will be the cornerstone for civilization and I think any erosion of that definition by itself will weaken civilization as we have known it, and as we hope to know it."

Read full transcript of the interview:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/121/51.0.html

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Girls' Access to Abortion Without Parental Knowledge Upheld by South African Court

PRETORIA, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Pretoria High Court ruled Friday that girls under the age of 18 can continue to access abortion without parental knowledge or consent.

The ruling came after a challenge was launched against the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act by the South African Christian Lawyer's Association. Judge Phineas Mojapelo ruled that it was unconstitutional to restrict a girl's access to abortion.

The Women's Legal Centre, which argued on behalf of the Reproductive Rights Alliance, claimed that laws requiring parental consent would endanger girl's lives by restricting their access to "safe" abortions. Women's Legal Centre attorney Nikki Taylor argued that "Adolescent pregnancies are dangerous for mother and child. Every year at least 60,000 adolescent women die from health problems related to pregnancy and child birth."

South African opposition African Christian Democratic Party's (ACDP) Kenneth Meshoe told IOL news that, considering the HIV pandemic affecting South Africa, the court's loosening of laws that would encourage "reckless sexual behaviour" among adolescent girls was irresponsible. Meshoe said the ACDP party "will not agree to something as destructive as this law. It's disgusting, shocking and the least expected of a government that claims to believe in the family - a building block of any strong and winning nation," Meshoe said.

Read the LifeSiteNews.com Special Report about a major Finnish study, which determined that women who abort are nearly four times as likely to die in the year following their abortions as women who give birth are in the year following the arrival of their babies, including a 60 percent greater chance of death from natural causes and a risk of suicide seven times higher. A prominent, pro-choice American doctor reviewed the Finnish study before its U.S. publication, and concluded "It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that abortion in not safer than childbirth," a common myth perpetuated by pro-choice groups. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/aug/000829a.html

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Study Reveals Condoms are Carcinogenic

BERLIN, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Most condoms contain a potent carcinogen, N-Nitrosamine, a German research facility revealed Friday. Of 32 types tested, 29 contained the cancer-causing chemical at highly elevated levels, up to three times what could be found in food, the study showed.

Study scientists, who conducted the research at The Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Institute in Stuttgart, Germany, said "N-Nitrosamine is one of the most carcinogenic substances," as reported by the Reuters news service. "There is a pressing need for manufacturers to tackle this problem," the scientists recommended.

The chemical's purpose is to increase the elasticity of latex rubber, and is released when a condom comes in contact with body fluids.

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Dutch Doctor Prescribes "Terminal Sedation": Euthanasia by Another Name

AMSTERDAM, May 31, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A pain control expert at the Netherlands Nijmegen University, is surveying the opinions of 1500 doctors in Holland who are finding that sedation is the preferable method of dealing with intractable pain. Terminal sedation, the inducing of a permanent state of unconsciousness, is a viable means of dealing with severe pain and is managable in palliatve care situations. "Most doctors no longer see euthanasia as a medical necessity for fighting unbearable suffering and that the solution of terminal sedation is suitable for that," Dr. Bernardus Cruls said in an interview with the Dutch Evangelical Broadcasting Network.

However, euthanasia opponents warn that "terminal sedation" can include the witholding of food and water and is merely euthanasia by another name and that because of this re-definition, euthanasia statistics in Holland are not declining as reported. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition executive director Alex Schadenberg, who recently attended the International Congress on Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State in Rome, reported that, in 2002, 3.9% of all deaths in the Netherlands or 5460 deaths were caused by the intentional removal of food and fluids from permanently sedated patients. Said Schadenberg, "in fact the numbers are rising from the numbers who are dehydrated to death, but simply not reported as euthanasia." The congress was the occasion on which Pope John Paul II defined the withholding of food and water as the "morally unacceptable deliberate killing of a human person."

Holland legalized euthanasia in 2001 and the incidence of in-voluntary euthanasia by doctors acting "in the best interests" of patients has risen dramatically. A survey published in the Journal of Medical Ethics examined the figures for 1995, six years before the practice was legalized, and found that in addition to the 3,600 authorized cases there were 900 others in which doctors had acted without explicit consent.

Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/mar/04032001.html

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LifeSiteNews.com Newsbytes

Soros Admits Donating $16 Million to Defeat Bush
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/31/192555.shtml

Kerry most 'pro-gay' presidential candidate ever
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38727

US Government, FBI and Microsoft Getting Really Serious About Convicting Spammers
http://news.com.com/When+spam+eludes+software%2C+bring+in+the+detectives/2100-10...

Hints growing of possible Conservative minority government after June 28 vote
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/CanadaVotes/2004/05/22/469503-cp.html

Careers curtailing children: New survey of Canadian professional women points to 'revolution in fertility'
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=f1bfb321-7f32-458...

Homosexual activists denied Communion in Chicago
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=1241

300 gay marriages in Belgium since last year
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=48&story_id=8012

Scotland postal workers who disapprove of 'extreme' political parties have been told they can refuse to deliver election leaflets by Royal Mail chiefs
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=614552004

What Vatican II did, and didn't, teach about conscience - Elections and voting booths are never `faith-free' zones
http://www.archden.org/archbishop/docs/04_20_04_vaticanii.php

Parents challenge restrictions on home schooling
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--homeschooldispute0530may30,0,41...

Battle Over Boy Raised by Homosexuals
http://nypost.com/news/regionalnews/24903.htm

Parents Beware: 'Shrek 2' Features Transgenderism And Crossdressing Themes
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1659

Bisexual Experimentation Spreads Among Teen Girls?
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1349

Democrats call in Bill Clinton to rescue Kerry's campaign
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/05/30/wkerry30.xml&sSh...

Seat projection suggests heavy Liberal losses in Ont., B.C., Que.
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=b4721e5f-6b66-481...

Greg Weston learns of a secret plot by the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals to rig key ridings in 2000 election
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2004/05/29/477687.html

Merger works for Conservatives: Former PCs hanging in, poll shows
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_T...

Soros' "Reform"
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=13584

Liberals' flickering fortunes depend on Martin
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_T...

Group starts ad contest to get Americans to approve of homosexual marriage
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040526/APN/405261194

Ontario Liberal government drops plans to begin paying for sex change operations
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1845&ncid=1845&e=16&u=/cpress/20...

Catholic men vow to defend the Holy Eucharist from being publicly attacked by obstructing sash-wearing gay activists from Communion
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/8774354.htm?1c

Fox cancels gay-themed reality show amid criticism
http://www.forbes.com/infoimaging/newswire/2004/05/27/rtr1387816.html

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