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Conservative PM Asked to Honor Promises to Protect Freedom of Speech/Religion Under Gay 'Marriage' Law

By John-Henry Westen

OTTAWA, September 13, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Campaign Life Coalition, a national advocacy organization which has been urging nationwide grassroots lobbying to convince Members of Parliament to support a return to the traditional definition of marriage, is also asking Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to live up to his promises to protect freedom of speech and freedom of religion under the same-sex 'marriage' law.

On February 16, 2005, Conservative Party leader and now-Prime Minister Harper delivered a memorable speech in the House of Commons in response to the introduction of the same-sex 'marriage' Bill C-38. "The so-called protection that the government has offered for even basic religious freedom is, frankly, laughably inadequate," said Harper.  "It is totally dishonest to suggest that it provides real protection."

In that speech Harper enumerated many of the threats to religious freedom that would ensue from the homosexual 'marriage' legislation if passed. 

He suggested that for their traditional, faithful stand against same-sex 'marriage':
- Religious groups could lose charitable tax status
- churches or religious organizations could lose government grants for community services such as seniors' housing
- religious broadcasting could be restricted
- school curriculum and hiring standards in both public and private religious and cultural minority schools may come into dispute

Such "legal fights" said Harper "will limit and restrict their freedom to honour their faith and their cultural practices."  

At the time Harper promised, "Should the bill survive second reading, we will propose amendments in areas like these to ensure that in all areas subject to federal jurisdiction nobody will be discriminated against on the basis of their religious beliefs or practices regarding marriage."  Concluding the point he asked poignantly, "Will this society be one which respects and honours the religious and cultural minorities or one which gradually whittles away their freedoms and their ability to practise their beliefs?"

Now that the Conservative Leader has become Prime Minister, Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) is asking Harper to honor his promises and to take the required actions to strengthen the protections for consience and religious freedom he so eloquently stated as being necessary.

CLC National Coordinator Mary Ellen Douglas, told LifeSiteNews.com, "In the last four months CLC activists in all ridings have gone in to MPs asking then to reopen the marriage debate.   We've found that some who initially voted against the same sex 'marriage' law have said they would not vote to reopen the issue.  Some have gone the other way but there has been an intense lobby the last four months."

In addition to lobbying to restore the traditional definition of marriage, CLC is asking pro-family Canadians to demand from Parliament a strengthening of freedom of speech and religious freedoms, which are under threat due to this legislation. 

The threats have been realized in some schools already.  In BC parents are now fighting for the right to be able to pull their children from classes where students are being indoctrinated with pro-same-sex 'marriage' instruction. 

To express your opinion to Prime Minister Harper:
pm@pm.gc.ca

See Harper's full speech:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/050217b.html

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