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Politics : Canadian Political Free-for-All

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To: Kitskid who started this subject	4/20/2004 1:13:35 AM
From: Ryan Plovie (Hijacked)	Read Replies (2) of 37188

More elitism. You call me a Krout or a Wop and it's okay. I call you a fag and I get charged with a hate crime. Are we not all equal in this country? Then why are some more Equal then others? calgarysun.com Churches fear new law will silence religious expression When freedoms collide Calgary Sun Yesterday, a worried band of Canadians of assorted faiths were slated to march on Parliament Hill to protest a law they fear will suppress freedom of speech and religion. Their efforts were most likely in vain. The un-elected Senate of Canada is expected to rubberstamp a controversial private members’ bill that has already been pushed through the House of Commons. Bill C-250 would add criticism of homosexuals and homosexual lifestyles to the “hate” section of the Criminal Code. The bill was conceived by B.C. NDP MP Svend Robinson, who has enjoyed a checkered past during his 25 years in Parliament. He is perhaps most famous for a motion urging that the word “God” be removed from the Canadian Constitution. He broke all rules of Parliamentary decorum and good manners when he howled at Ronald Reagan when the then-U.S. president spoke as a guest before the Commons. It’s highly instructive that Robinson is the sponsor of a new law enforcing tolerance when he has displayed so little tolerance himself for those who do not share his beliefs. We absolutely believe no individual — male or female — should face discrimination because of sexual orientation. And it goes without saying decent men and women are appalled by vicious physical attacks on homosexuals. The perpetrators should face the full wrath of the law for their criminal behavior. But severe doubts linger about the intent and repercussions of Bill C-250. Its major flaw is that it appears to open the door to the prosecution of members of various religions — and even the content of the Christian Bible and the Muslim Koran. Those worried about the ramifications of the new law are hardly flakes and wingnuts. The Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops and many Protestant organizations have voiced worries that by expressing the tenets of their faiths, they may well face prosecution. Muslim groups echo their sentiments. Calgary Roman Catholic Bishop Fred Henry is blunt about his fears: “What is troubling is the possibility that someone who finds the expression of the Christian’s beliefs on the sexual conduct of homosexual persons too blunt or too harsh will invoke the Criminal Code to silence the teaching.” Liberal Senator Anne Cools worries the bill will lead to “criminal witch hunts” and is based on the false premise that people are committing hate crimes against gays with impunity. “This bill, in a funny kind of way, is attempting to censor — to cleanse Canadians of their moral opinions about many homosexual practices,” she said. The Liberal government has insisted that the law provides a specific defence for a religious opinion expressed in good faith. The defence, while intended to ensure religious freedom, likely won’t deter those bent on preventing churches from preaching that homosexuality is morally wrong. After all, if individuals like Robinson, who is Canada’s first openly gay MP, find even the word “God” in the Constitution offensive, what is the likelihood they won’t try to stamp out what they perceive as anti-gay religious teachings? Time will tell if the fears of those who protested on the Hill yesterday will come true or if — as the government assures — freedom of religion is protected. To quote Bishop Henry again: “I can remember assurances from a former justice minister that a Liberal government would never change the definition of marriage either.”

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