Canadian Gov’t Dismisses Pope’s Warning on Marriage With Deceitful Reply

OTTAWA, September 7, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In response to a direct call from Pope John Paul II to Canada to protect the traditional definition of marriage, the spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin dismissed the concern with a deceitful comment.  Speaking for the Prime Minister, Melanie Gruer told the press after the Pope’s statement, “The government respects and is fully aware of the pope’s position on the matter of same-sex marriage and any decision on that issue will be taken by the Parliament of Canada.”  Brian Rushfeldt of the Canada Family Action Coalition commented on Gruer’s statement saying, “When I read that I thought she needs to get tuned in because the Justice Minister has said over and over he’s leaving it to the courts, the whole notion of parliament dealing with it is a joke they want to leave it to the courts.”  Rushfeldt recalled that only three weeks ago the Canadian Justice Minister said the government is refusing to defend traditional marriage against court challenges by homosexual activists which have been successful in Ontario, Quebec, B.C., and the Yukon.  Rushfeldt noted that Parliament would not deal with marriage until the Supreme Court gives its opinion on the matter.  The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case October 6-8.  “The Liberals are bent on using the courts to force homosexual ‘marriage’ on Canadians,” concluded Rushfeldt.  See the press coverage with Gruer’s comments:  https://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/news/story.html?id=6a49275e-6f8a-414c-973e-a5c04faef8d7