By Gudrun Schultz
EDMONTON, Alberta, August 29, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A private member’s bill that would protect Albertans who oppose homosexual activity from fines or discrimination charges faced a third and final reading yesterday in the legislature. However, the Liberal and NDP opposition commandeered the time available for private member’s bills with procedural matters effectively killing the bill.
The Toronto Sun quotes Morton responding “I am definitely disappointed. I think it was incredibly irresponsible of the Liberals and the NDP to waste our time and the taxpayers’ money.”
MLA Ted Morton introduced controversial Bill 208 in April. The Protection of Fundamental Freedoms (Marriage) Statutes Amendment Act would have permitted marriage commissioners to opt out of performing homosexual “marriages,” and require schools to obtain parental permission before introducing material on homosexuality in the classroom. As well, persons would have been protected from fines or other charges for speaking out against homosexuality.
While homosexual activists have condemned the bill as discriminatory and an attack on human rights, Morton has said the bill is about balancing rights and has nothing to do with homosexual “marriage.”
“Gay marriage is not a human right, it’s a social experiment,” Morton told the Edmonton Journal. “I think it’s a misguided social experiment. Gay marriage does not appear in a single recognized human rights document in the world. It’s not in the Charter of Rights. It’s not in the Canadian Bill of Rights. It’s not in the European Convention of Human Rights, it’s not in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.”
Morton is considered a possible contender for the party leadership—he has pledged to continue seeking protection for those who oppose homosexuality if he should become premier.
Morton’s competitors for the party leadership came out in support of the measure. MLA Lyle Oberg said he was in favour of the bill because it would protect the individual’s fundamental right to choose, the Calgary Sun reported.
“Nobody should be able to litigate against people who choose not to do something,” Oberg said.
The bill passed second reading in May but died before reaching third round, as opposition members used stalling tactics to prevent the measure from final passage.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Stalling Tactics Kill Alberta Private Bill Protecting Opposition to Homosexual Activity
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06051004.html
Alberta MLA Proposes Protection of Fundamental Freedoms Act
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06041304.html
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Alberta Bill on Same-Sex Marriage Likely to be Watered Down in Tory Caucus
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050403.html