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AREQUIPA, Peru, April 12, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An informed Catholic can never vote for a candidate who backs abortion or homosexual “marriage,” says Archbishop Javier del Rio of Arequipa, Peru.

“In no way can one vote for a candidate who has explicitly stated his or her intention to go against marriage, human life and the family,” the archbishop told Catholic News Agency last week.

“An informed Catholic can never vote for a candidate who supports these kinds of policies, because that is expressly stated in the compendium of Social Teachings of the Church,” he said.

The prelate was speaking in advance of the country’s presidential elections, which took place Sunday.

But his advice is also crucial for citizens in Canada as they face a federal election on May 2nd, said the political arm of Canada’s pro-life movement.

“The right to life is the cornerstone of all of our being,” said Jim Hughes, national president of Campaign Life Coalition.  “Almighty God created all of us in His image and likeness, and no one has the right to take an innocent human life.”

“We tend to dismiss it and lump it in with a whole load of other things and it’s unfortunate,” he continued.  “Meanwhile the death toll mounts in Canada.  Over 100,000 a year and nobody seems to take notice.”

“I’m very pleased that this member of the hierarchy has come out so strongly,” he added.

Campaign Life Coalition is producing evaluations for each of the candidates in Canada’s federal election regarding their views on life and family.

They have also released a one-page, double-sided, ‘Election Guide for Serious Christians’, which can be distributed through church bulletins.

The guide, developed by a coalition including CLC, Canada Family Action, and Defend Traditional Marriage & Family, targets church-going, conservative Christians with a bold message of voting for candidates who support “non-negotiable moral principles” on five issues – abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, and homosexual “marriage.”

For CLC’s candidate ratings and other election resources, click here.