Politics
Tuesday March 8, 2005
Harper and CPC Caucus Losing Nerve on Marriage; Afraid of Debate on Abortion
Latest Move to Stifle Debate Could Cost Harper Crucial Pro-Life Votes on Leadership
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MONTREAL, March 7, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life and pro-family leaders were outraged by the Conservative National Caucus resolution revealed today which would see resolutions on protecting marriage and a partial birth abortion ban nixed from consideration at the Conservative Policy Convention later this month. According to sources in the Conservative Party, Harper is trying to avoid votes on marriage and abortion because he’s afraid of how the party would be portrayed by the media.
Commenting on resolution P-90, which was accepted by the Conservative Caucus at the behest of Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Campaign Life Coalition National Coordinator Mary-Ellen Douglas told LifeSiteNews.com, “I’ve always been skeptical about how committed Mr. Harper is to defending traditional marriage". Douglas, who is also a delegate to the Conservative Convention, added, "This later maneuver helps clarify how I’ll vote on his future leadership at the coming convention.”
Brian Rushfeldt, Vice President of the Canada Family Action Coalition expressed exasperation with the move and described the measure as stifling debate on issues vital to party membership. “We now have a caucus democratic deficit in the Conservative Party,” said Rushfeldt. “The caucus wants to run the convention and take it away from the membership.” Rushfeldt stressed “A deep democratic deficit" was being created "in what should be a membership driven party.”
Phil Horgan, President of the Catholic Civil Rights League was disappointed by the resolution and said he hoped for better from the Conservatives. “The Conservative Party is in a unique position to provide leadership on issues of concern to the great majority of Canadians in an unapologetic and explicit fashion,” he said.
Mark Fournier and Connie Wilkins, who run the popular conservative Canadian website Freedominion.ca, described the controversial resolution as “a pill designed to poison the grassroots” of the Conservative Party of Canada.
The Free Dominion site has rallied supporters with the cry, “Resolution P-90 must be voted down!”
Campaign Life Coalition has urged all supporters to contact Conservative MPs to express their concerns with resolution P-90, and ask that it be defeated at the Convention.
See Marriage Defence Resources page
http://www.lifesite.net/features/marriage_defence/
jhw
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