News

Interfaith Coalition Defends Heterosexual Nature of Marriage

TORONTO, November 5, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice began hearings today in a homosexual-activist orchestrated challenge to traditional marriage. Despite having virtually all the financial benefits of marriage and even adoption rights, homosexual activists are seeking to divest marriage of its tradition restriction to opposite sex couples. The case is expected to last 5 days.

Eight homosexual couples were selected by the homosexual activist group Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE) to go ahead with the court challenge. The couples are Barbara McDowall and Gail Donnelly, Tom Allworth and Al Pittman, Hedy Halpern & Colleen Rogers, Michael Leshner & Michael Stark, Michelle Bradshaw & Rebekah Rooney, Dawn Onishenko & Julie Erbland, Carolyn Rowe and Carolyn Moffatt, Alison Kemper & Joyce Barnett. The 8 couples are represented by Martha McCarthy and Joanna Radbord of Epstein Cole.

An EGALE release notes that a challenge by the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCCT) is being heard simultaneously. After publishing banns for two homosexual couples, Kevin Bourassa & Joe Varnell and Elaine & Anne Vautour, the MCCT “married” the couples in a double wedding ceremony on January 14, 2001. The Church is suing since the Ontario Government refused to register, or recognize the “marriages”. The MCCT argues it is protecting its constitutional rights to freedom of religion and equality.

The Interfaith Coalition for Marriage is an intervenor in the case defending the traditional definition of marriage. The Coalition includes the: Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Archdiocese of Vancouver, B.C. Council of Sikhs, B.C. Muslim Association, Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, Islamic Society of North America, Ontario Council of Sikhs, Catholic Civil Rights League. The Interfaith Coalition is represented by lawyers Iain Benson and Peter Jervis.

A similar EGALE sponsored marriage challenge was rejected in the BC Supreme Court last month and another one is to commence hearings in Quebec on November 8.

The submission from the Interfaith Coalition is available on the Evangelical Fellowship website at:  https://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/resources/resource_viewer.asp?Resource_ID=124

Related LifeSite coverage:  HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE BILL DEBATED IN CANADIAN PARLIAMENT https://lsn.ca/ldn/2001/oct/011029.html#1 PROVINCIAL SUPREME COURT RULES OUT HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE https://lsn.ca/ldn/2001/oct/011003.html#2