Politics
Thursday June 9, 2005
Canadian Government Admits Religions Not Protected Under Federal Gay ‘Marriage’ Legislation
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
OTTAWA, June 9, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler admitted Wednesday that, under the proposed Liberal same-sex “marriage” bill being fast-tracked through parliament, there would be no guarantees of protection for religious organizations that refuse to “marry” homosexuals.
When asked whether the provinces have supremacy over matters of marriage, thus overriding any federal protections in the bill, Cotler replied, “that’s right,” according to a National Post report. A vote on the controversial C-38 could happen as soon as next week, with Senators promising to work into the summer to ensure it becomes law.
Several marriage commissioners in Newfoundland, Manitoba, B.C. and Saskatchewan resigned after an ultimatum ordered them to perform the same-sex ceremonies or step down. Human rights cases against those who oppose same-sex “marriage” publicly, meanwhile – Calgary Bishop Henry is a prime example – are beginning to pile up.
“These are very significant issues,” Conservative justice critic Vic Toews said. “We are opening up a Pandora’s Box, and this minister has steadfastly refused (to concede) that there are any problems. Now, as the evidence is piling up, he's beginning to wake up.”
Toews emphasized that Cotler has to “deal with each of the provinces in terms of enacting corresponding legislation that will protect religious organizations and those who object to same-sex marriage for reasons of conscience.”
Derek Rogusky, senior vice-president for Focus on the Family Canada, said, “Faith-based groups are not all that confident if their rights are going to be left up to the courts.”
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
B.C. Commissioners Denied Choice - Marry Same-Sex Couples or Quit
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jan/04012304.html
Saskatchewan Commissioners Resigning or Refusing to "Marry" Homosexuals
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05010503.html
Seven Newfoundland Commissioners Resign Rather than “Marry” Same-Sex Couples
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/05020303.html
Ontario Boasts of Having Performed Over 1000 Gay 'Marriages'
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05011811.html
tv
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase out Lab Rats
- Ohio Supreme Court Allows Planned Parenthood to Conceal Abortion Records in Sexual Abuse Case
- LifeSiteNews Canada Day and Independence Day Message. Taking a few days off. LSN returns Monday July 6
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Pro-Life Groups Announce New Colorado Personhood Initiative
- Judge Puts Kibosh on DC Gay "Marriage" Referendum
- Al Franken Win Hands Supermajority to Senate Democrats
- Group Funded by Canadian Bishops' D&P Joins with Others to Denounce the "Natural Family" and "Family Rights"
- Financially Troubled Planned Parenthood of El Paso Closes Doors
- Abortion Linked to Subsequent Pre-Term Births, New Research Again Confirms
- New Orleans Homosexual Couple Ask Fed. Court to Overturn Marriage Amendment
- Slim Hope Of New Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Promoting Pro-Life, Pro-Family Issues
- Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Caught Involved in Homosexual Encounters
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Northern Ireland Politician Cleared of Wrongdoing after Reiterating Christian Teaching on Homosexual Acts
- UK Conservative Leader Speaks at Gay Pride Fundraiser
- More Letters to the Editor on Canadian Catholic Development and Peace Scandal (July 1)
- Letters to the Editor - Readers Respond to Development and Peace Scandal
- Watch This Dramatic New Video on Catholic Bishops Conference Funding of Pro-Abortion Groups
Most Read this Week
- Homosexual Duke U. Director Charged with Offering Adopted 5-Year-Old for Sex
- Famed Fr. Corapi Calls Canadian Bishops' Dissent from Humanae Vitae "Catastrophic"
- Pope: It is a Childish Faith to Oppose the Church Teaching on Life and Family
- LifeSiteNews Detailed Response to Canadian Bishops' Whitewash Report on Development and Peace
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Is Pro-Choice the New Pro-Life?
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase Out Lab Rats
- Swedish Parents Won't Tell if Child is Boy or Girl as Gender Experiment
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.