Wednesday October 4, 2006
Source: Canadian Government to Protect Religion and Conscience Rights over Gay "Marriage"
By John-Henry Westen
OTTAWA, October 4, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - If the current attempt to restore the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman fails, the Conservative Government will propose legal protections for those who oppose homosexual 'marriage', according to what a government source revealed to the Globe and Mail. The Globe reported today that a source within the Government has revealed that should the homosexual 'marriage' law stand, the government is planning a "Defence of Religions Act" to allow religious and conscientious objection to homosexuality and homosexual 'marriage'.
In an interview with LifeSiteNews.com, the press secretary for Justice Minister Vic Toews would neither deny nor confirm the report in the Globe calling it "speculation".
However, such a move has been expected from Harper since he promised protection for freedom of religion and freedom of speech for Canadians who oppose same sex 'marriage'. On February 16, 2005, Conservative Party leader and now-Prime Minister Harper delivered a memorable speech in the House of Commons in response to the introduction of the same-sex 'marriage' Bill C-38. "The so-called protection that the government has offered for even basic religious freedom is, frankly, laughably inadequate," said Harper. "It is totally dishonest to suggest that it provides real protection."
In that speech Harper enumerated many of the threats to religious freedom that would ensue from the homosexual 'marriage' legislation if passed. He suggested that for their traditional, faithful stand against same-sex 'marriage' religious groups could lose charitable tax status, churches or religious organizations could lose government grants for community services such as seniors' housing, religious broadcasting could be restricted and school curriculum and hiring standards in both public and private religious and cultural minority schools may come into dispute.
At the time, Harper promised, "Should the bill survive second reading, we will propose amendments in areas like these to ensure that in all areas subject to federal jurisdiction nobody will be discriminated against on the basis of their religious beliefs or practices regarding marriage."
Last month, Campaign Life Coalition asked the Prime Minister to honour those promises should the effort to restore traditional marriage fail.
Organizers on both sides of the issue are indicating their current surveys of MPs show there are clearly not yet enough MPs committed to voting for the motion to revisit the same sex 'marriage' issue in Parliament.
To express your opinion to Prime Minister Harper:
See Harper's full speech: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/feb/050217b.html
See the Globe and Mail coverage:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061004.wsamesex03/BNStory/National/home
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