Politics
Monday March 5, 2007
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Activists Fight Bill Permitting Marriage Commissioners to Refuse Homosexual "Marriages"
By Gudrun Schultz
ST. JOHN, New Brunswick, March 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A private member's bill that would allow provincial marriage commissioners to decline presiding at homosexual "marriages" has reignited the same-sex "marriage" debate in the province, the Telegraph-Journal reported March 3.
Conservative MLA David Alward said his proposed amendment to the Marriage Act would grant rights to commissioners who are opposed to same-sex "marriage" on religious grounds.
Homosexual activist groups have responded to the proposal with outrage, saying the legislation would grant rights to individuals who "discriminate" and would be an affront to the "equal marriage" movement.
"It's insulting to the gay and lesbian population," said Allison Brewer, a same-sex "marriage" advocate and former NDP leader in New Brunswick. "I think it's frivolous. This would not stand up to a Charter challenge. All it represents is a slap in the face."
A court challenge to settle the issue is likely, with no objections from the Liberals to the bill.
"I believe this legislation most certainly will stand up to a legal challenge," said Alward.
"In no way does the bill, in any way, infringe on the rights of the gay and lesbian couples to be married."
Alward said the amendment to the Marriage Act is necessary to prevent the prosecution of marriage commissioners who exercise conscientious objection to same-sex marriage by refusing to perform homosexual "marriages"--in Saskatchewan earlier this year a Regina marriage clerk was accused of discrimination by a same-sex couple after he refused to perform a "marriage" for them. His case is now before a Human Rights Tribunal.
"My personal views on same-sex marriage have nothing to do with this bill," Alward said. "[The Saskatchewan case] certainly raised the issue."
New Brunswick Attorney General T.J. Burke spoke out in support of the amendment, saying he saw no conflicts with the Charter of Rights an Freedoms regarding same-sex equality issues.
"We're not going to oppose the bill. The bill provides preference in choice for individuals who wish to perform same-sex marriages and who wish to decline. There's nothing really that's going to change with respect to the amendment," Burke said.
"I don't fear any repercussions because... we're looking at all of the legislation to make sure it complies with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to ensure same-sex equality."
"As far as I'm concerned, until the Supreme Court of Canada says employment trumps an individuals' religious rights, then the religious rights of the employee trump the position of employment."
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
New Brunswick Latest Casualty in Canadian Judicial Crusade against Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jun/05062401.html
Saskatchewan Marriage Commissioner under Investigation for Unwillingness to Perform Gay 'Marriages'
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jul/05071403.html
Saskatchewan Commissioners Resigning or Refusing to "Marry" Homosexuals
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05010503.html
Marriage Commissioner: "I Couldn't Live With Myself if I Were to Perform Same Sex Marriages"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/feb/07020107.html
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- UK Bishops’ Document on Homosexuality Praised by Prominent Anti-Catholic Homosexualist
- Interview: "The Proposed Coalition Government is Very Very Scary" Says Canadian Pro-Life Leader
- Abortionist Pleads No Contest to Felonies, Faces up to 10 Years in Jail
- Catholic Bishop: "Go Right Ahead and Arrest Me" Rather than Obey Freedom of Choice Act
- Abortion Linked to Disproportionately High Rate of Black Premature Births
- Bush Interview: "I Didn't Sell my Soul for Politics"
- Unprecedented Restrictions Placed on Religious, Political Clubs at Lakehead University
- Franklin Graham, Son of Billy Graham, at California Megachurch: "Abortion is Murder"
- Author of French "Right to Die" Law Opposes Efforts to Legalize Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
- Life Prizes Announces Winners of $600,000 Pro-Life Award
- Homosexualist Catholic University Students Join Protest against True Marriage
- Letters to the Editor for Tuesday, December 2, 2008
- Purchase of Christmas Music CD By Pro-Life Priest is Great Way to Support LifeSiteNews
Most Read this Week
- Behind the Scenes of Volition: Coincidences and Startling Circumstances
- Ad Showing Woman Seducing Santa Promotes Free Morning-After Pills and Condoms for Christmas
- Belgian Couple Sells Baby on EBay
- Leading Canadian Pro-Life MP Relates Shocking 20 Year Lack of Support From Catholic Clergy
- Naming the Anti-Life Appointments in the Obama Administration
- Cardinal on Biblical Condemnation of Homosexuality: We're Not Allowed the Cowardice of "Politically Correct" Silence
- Film Review: Volition
- A Painful, Disease-Ridden Death Isn’t So Bad if You’re Just a White, Heterosexual Male
- Just In Time for Christmas - Gift Cards for Abortions from Planned Parenthood
- Abortion Now Number One Cause of Death in Spain
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.