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Thursday November 9, 2000

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LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA OFFICIALLY PRO-ABORTION

OTTAWA, Nov 9 (LSN.ca) - Today the Liberal Party of Canada has officially announced it "supports a woman's right to choose." This sudden declaration by party headquarters, concurring with Jean Chretien's recent pronouncements on the issue, will place its many pro-life and pro-life leaning MPs in a difficult situation. They have often emphasized in the past that the Liberal party did not have an official pro-abortion position, despite its many actions that have advanced the abortion agenda in Canada. The late Joe Borowski, when he was a Manitoba NDP MP, left his Party when it officially declared itself pro-abortion.

The announcement came in an official Liberal Party answer to the Campaign Life Coalition election questionnaire. The letter was signed by Party Executive Director Terry Mercer. Under the heading "Regarding abortion", the letter states "The Liberal Party supports a woman's right to choose." Moreover the letter states that "A Liberal government will not introduce amendments to the Criminal Code with respect to abortion" and notes that public funding for abortion will continue.

Campaign Life Coalition president Jim Hughes states that "the new party declaration will come as a huge surprise for many pro-life members of Parliament. Hughes says "I think they are not going to be very happy with this. Stay tuned," he states, "you are going to hear from a lot of them in the days and weeks to come."

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SUPREME COURT HEARS CASE AGAINST CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

Decision Against University Would be Active Anti-Christian Discrimination

OTTAWA, Nov 9 (LSN.ca) - An extremely significant case is being heard today by the Supreme Court of Canada. The case concerns the refusal by the British Columbia College of Teachers (BCCT) to approve the teacher education program at Trinity Western University because its code of conduct requires students and teachers to refrain from homosexual behaviour. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Seventh Day Adventist Church are intervening on behalf of the university while the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation and Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere are supporting the BCCT. Devon Frisen of Trinity Western told LifeSite that a decision on the case is expected in the Spring.

The CCCB motion says the College's decision is a "rejection of moral values based on religious belief; a direct attack on independent religious-based education; and an infringement of constitutionally protected rights of Trinity Western University and its students." The CCCB argues that since the Catholic Church's position on sexual conduct is similar to Trinity Western's community standards agreement, the BCCT's decision is also an attack on Catholic education. It argues that "the kind of secular intolerance to religious beliefs demonstrated by the College's decision would inevitably lead to unjustified attacks on the Catholic separate school system, including preferential hiring rights, particularly where the schools are publicly funded."

For background on the TWU case see:
http://lsn.ca/ldn/1999/jan/990105.html#1
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1999/dec/99121004.html

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PEDOPHILIA ADVOCATE MUST LEAVE CHOIR FOR CHURCH PERFORMANCES

TORONTO, Nov 9 (LSN.ca) - Canada's leading advocate of "intergenerational sex," or pedophilia, Gerald Hannon, has said that the Archdiocese of Toronto has ordered that he be removed from the choir or it will not be allowed to use the church facilities. The news comes only one week after LifeSite exposed the presence of Hannon who was featured in a musical presentation in St. Basil's Church under the direction of the church's music director. Hannon was personally applauded after his musical piece was sung.

The Archdiocese would not confirm the news with LifeSite saying that it does not comment on individuals.

For LifeSite's earlier coverage see:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/nov/001102a.html

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FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA LISTS PRIORITY ITEMS IN VOTING

VANCOUVER, Nov 9 (LSN.ca) - Focus on the Family Canada has released a list of five key issues to consider when selecting candidates for election. A list, which was not ranked in order of priority according to statements by Focus to LifeSite, included the definition of marriage, parental authority, tax fairness for families, abortion and value-of-life issues, and child pornography.

The strongest statements made on these issues come in relation to abortion. On abortion, Focus notes "Canada is the only nation in the Western world that has no abortion legislation protecting unborn human life. This means that unborn Canadians have no rights up to the moment they pass through the birth canal. This is a huge injustice and represents an evil unknown even to the Philistines of biblical times. I believe that one day each of those in authority will have to answer for the great slaughter of innocent unborn life in this country. You deserve to know what your representatives believe about these fundamental issues of life and human worth. A question to ask political candidates seeking your vote: How will you ensure that unborn life has legal rights and recognition under Canadian law? And do you support legislation that protects individuals from being required to perform life-ending procedures against their moral convictions?"

On marriage, Focus seeks to assure that the definition of marriage "understood as the union of a man and a woman" remains as it has been "since the beginning of recorded history." On parental authority, they argue that parents should be allowed to "raise their children without government interference" and maintain the right "to use loving physical discipline." Regarding taxation, Focus suggests ending the "tax policies that discriminate in favour of two-income families" since "in an overwhelming majority of cases . . . parents would choose to have a parent stay home with the children, especially during the formative early years."

See Focus' election page at:
http://www.fotf.ca/research/election2000/

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US BALLOT MEASURES DEFEAT HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE

OMAHA, Nov 9 (LSN.ca) - In a dramatic display of pro-family support, a ballot measure which bans homosexual marriage and domestic partnerships in Nebraska was passed by 70% of voters. Initiative 416, read: "Only a marriage between a man and a woman shall be valid or recognized in Nebraska. The uniting of two persons of the same sex in a civil union, domestic partnership or other similar same-sex relationship shall not be valid or recognized in Nebraska."

The Conservative News Service reports that Nevada passed a similar measure. Also, Maine voters rejected adding "sexual orientation" to the state's anti-bias laws. The measure failed even after the Catholic diocese of Portland dropped its opposition to the measure after it secured an exemption for religious organizations.

For more see the CNS report at:
http://new.omaha.com/index.atp?u_div=3&u_hdg=0&u_sid=33678

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US NEWS ROUNDUP

Another US bishop has stressed the importance of the protection of the unborn as a election consideration above all others. On October 30, Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde, Bishop of Arlington wrote "Obviously, protecting human life is the most basic of these four priorities, since the other three would be rendered meaningless without the first. If we do not uphold and protect human life in its beginning at conception, there will be no life to uphold and protect thereafter. . . . To be a faithful and serious Catholic necessarily means that one is pro-life and not pro-choice. To be pro-choice essentially means supporting the right of a woman to terminate the life of her baby either pre-born or partially born. No Catholic can claim to be a faithful and serious member of the Church while advocating for or actively supporting direct attacks on innocent human life."
http://www.priestsforlife.org/government/00-10-30arlington.h...

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