Article Added On: January 28, 2005 - over 3 years ago
Title: Church told to butt out
Author: Elizabeth Thompson and Anne Dawson, with files from Heather Sokoloff
Publication: CanWest News Service, with files from National Post
Publication Date: January 01, 2005 - over 3 years ago
Faith Groups: Other Christian
Themes: same sex marriage/blessing

Abstract: The Roman Catholic Church should keep its nose out of the government's same-sex marriage legislation, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew suggested yesterday.

January 28, 2005

FREDERICTON - The Roman Catholic Church should keep its nose out of the government's same-sex marriage legislation, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew suggested yesterday.

Asked about plans by church groups in Quebec to launch a campaign against same-sex marriage, Mr. Pettigrew said the government and churches should not get involved in each other's affairs.

"I find that the separation of the Church and the state is one of the most beautiful inventions of modern times."

While some Liberal MPs have said they will oppose the legislation or have yet to make up their minds, Mr. Pettigrew said there is no doubt in his mind that he will support the bill to be tabled when Parliament resumes.

"It is a question of principle for me. I will support the government's legislation on the marriage of same-sex couples."

Prime Minister Paul Martin has already ordered all members of Cabinet to vote with the government although backbenchers are free to follow their consciences. Last week, Catholic archbishops voiced their opposition to the bill, echoing the concerns of Muslim and Sikh religious leaders.

And yesterday, Catholics were outraged at Mr. Pettigrew's suggestion they keep silent on an issue of moral significance such as the same-sex legislation.

"Certainly those who are trying to bring about change have not been shy at engaging in debate," said Thomas Collins, Archbishop of the Diocese of Edmonton. "We have every right to make our voice heard as well."

Archbishop Collins says Ottawa should not try to stifle the views of any Canadians on issues of moral conscience. "This is an effort to try to remove moral comment from issues affecting the common good."

He also noted the Catholic opposition to same-sex marriage is shared by other Christian groups, as well as Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Orthodox Jews.

Philip Horgan, the Catholic Civil Rights League president, said Mr. Pettigrew should be "ashamed" of himself for suggesting the Catholic Church does not have a role in a public debate. "Typically it's been my experience that when folks start talking about the separation of Church and state, what they are really talking about is the separation of conscience from politics."

"Any political decision is at its core a moral decision of what should be done, what ought to be done and what is the right thing to do."

Mr. Horgan also noted Canada's Constitution goes to great pains to protect the rights of religious groups and does not, as is the case in the United States, call for a strict separation of Church and state. The state has always funded Catholic schools, hospitals and other religious organizations, for example, he says.

Mr. Pettigrew's comments came as the Liberals wrapped up a three-day caucus meeting dominated by the question of the same-sex marriage legislation Justice Minister Irwin Cotler will table next week.

The spectre of an election has hung over the war of words on the issue between Mr. Martin and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and yesterday, Gilles Duceppe, the Bloc Quebecois leader, announced he has put his troops on an election footing.

Also yesterday Liberal opponents of the bill conceded that it is a virtual shoo-in to pass in the Commons. However, many Liberal MPs are leery of getting drawn into an election in which same-sex marriage is a key issue.

Quebec caucus chairwoman Raymonde Folco says the government's support for same-sex marriage could cost some Liberal MPs their seats.

"I think that there will be a price to pay on the part of the members of Parliament, on the part of almost all the members of Parliament," she said. "There are always people who tell us if you do that, we won't vote for you."

Ms. Folco warned that Liberals can't discount the possibility the issue could help Conservative party fortunes in Quebec.

"Careful, we don't know where we are going with the Conservatives in Quebec," she said, pointing out that many people who vote Liberal or Action Democratique provincially have supported the Tories in the past.

"They aren't present, but they are trying to be present and Harper is doing everything to be present in Quebec. So will he present candidates? Will they divide [the vote] with the Bloc? Anything is possible."

The Toronto Sun reported yesterday that a new Conservative party poll showed that 58% of people in the Greater Toronto Area supported Mr. Harper's position of preserving the traditional man-woman definition of marriage, and allowing same-sex civil unions, while 34% backed Mr. Martin's proposed legalization on same-sex marriage.

The poll -- reportedly a sample of 1500 -- said that nationally the results also favoured the Conservatives 42-35%. In Ontario, the Tories also came out ahead 57-38 %.

Meanwhile the leading caucus opponent of the same-sex legislation conceded yesterday that passing the bill is almost a done deal because there simply are not enough MPs in the House who support maintaining the traditional definition of marriage.

As the caucus retreat wrapped up, Ontario MP Paul Steckle said the "die was pretty much cast" in that the vast majority of his colleagues have already made up their minds to endorse the legalization of same-sex weddings across the country.

The Huron-Bruce MP warned, however, that Liberals may pay for this in the next election. He said legalizing same-sex marriage was never part of a Liberal election platform and the party may face an angry electorate.

"This will come back to bite you. We have to remember that at the end of the day, constituency representation is what it's all about," he said.

Mr. Martin attempted yesterday to shift the emphasis off same-sex insisting that his government had a very busy session coming up when Parliament resumes on Monday. However, he had a tough time explaining exactly what was on his legislative agenda when pressed.

"Um, um, certainly, among the first pieces of legislation will be the bill introduced by [Justice] Minister Cotler ... on the redefinition of marriage," he said. The only other item he mentioned was the budget, expected in late February or early March, and some housekeeping bills that may accompany that.

MPs privately grumbled that the government has lost control of the Liberal agenda. They say PMO officials spend each day in a crisis management mode reacting to the headline of the hour and are failing to take a proactive approach by fulfilling the promises they made to Canadians during the election campaign.