Toronto, July 17, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Liberal government’s new legislation redefining marriage in Canadian law as merely being “the union of two persons” has already begun to receive condemnation from Canadian pro-family groups. In a release today, REAL Women of Canada says, “Same-sex marriage is definitely not a ‘Canadian value,’ as the (Justice) Minister states.” The national women’s organization criticizes Cauchon for accepting “the opinion of a mere three Ontario and three BC provincial court judges”, and ignoring “the opinion of the approximately 200 appeal judges in the other eight remaining provinces.”
Real Women continues that “The definition of marriage as being ‘between two persons,’ also opens a Pandra’s box – as two undefined ‘persons’ includes any unlimited assortment of couples including transgendered, cross dressers, father and daughter, uncle and niece, even heterosexuals who want financial benefits of marriage, etc. The so-called ‘sanctity’ of marriage, under the proposed legislation makes a mockery of marriage.” Lastly, the organization emphasizes that “Religion is not protected by this legislation” and lambastes the Justice Minister for “attempting to bring about a revolution in Canada without public consensus”. The Family Coalition Party of Ontario release stated today that “Under this new law, replacing Natural Law, our provincial Family Law would also have to be changed to allow any two people to marry: A grandfather to marry his grand-daughter? A paedophile to marry a young child?” Party Leader Giuseppe Gori calls on the Prime Minister and Provincial Premiers to “invoke the Notwithstanding Clause (Section 33 of the Charter) on this issue and any other issue regarding section 15 until: A. The precise limits of the Supreme Court of Canada are defined, so that the traditional freedom of the people to make laws is maintained, through our parliamentary democracy, and B. The current process by which Supreme Court and Lower Court judges are appointed is reviewed in order to have experienced and unbiased judges sitting on the Bench.