OTTAWA, April 29, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As the Ontario Court of Appeal continues its hearings on the homosexual ‘marriage’ challenge and the federal Justice committee winds up its consideration of the same subject, none of the three main contenders for the federal Liberal Leadership have come out in opposition to homosexual marriage.
Both Heritage Minister Sheila Copps and Finance Minister John Manley have endorsed homosexual ‘marriage’ but lead contender and former Finance Minister Paul Martin has said he is undecided on the issue but will not object to judicial decisions on the matter. Martin, who political pundits suggest will most likely become the next Prime Minister, said in an interview on homosexual marriage, “It’s an issue I’m wrestling with, as I think are a great number of Canadians.” Martin did however say that he opposed forcing churches to sanction such ‘marriages’ and said he supported giving homosexual couples the same privileges as married couples. “I certainly do not believe that the state has the right to force churches to do anything,” Mr. Martin said. “But that the state should go for the Quebec option is certainly something that I think the government should consider.” In Quebec the state registers couples as partners but churches register marriages. See the Globe and Mail coverage: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030429.umart0429/BNStory/National