Groups oppose B.C.’s marriage challenge

Provincial government wants to allow gay marriages

KEVIN HEINRICHS
CW Managing Editor

The British Columbia government is going to court to challenge the legal definition of marriage and Christian family groups are racing to cut them off at the pass.

The pass, in this case, is the B.C. Supreme Court, where the province will argue that the federal law’s traditional definition of marriage—between a man and woman—contravenes Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The definition is discriminatory, it will argue, because it prevents gay couples from applying for marriage licences.

At present, same sex couples in Canada are entitled to all the benefits of heterosexual couples, but the traditional definition of marriage remains. A victory at the provincial Supreme Court level could pave the way for Canada to become the first country in the world to recognize the rights of gay couples to marry in a civil union.

That has Christian family groups extremely concerned. Canada Family Action Coalition executive director Brian Rushfeldt calls the province’s challenge “desperate.” He accuses the NDP government of trying to shore up sagging support from its core constituency.

“Even the homosexual activist community knows that such a proposal will not be accepted by Parliament,” says Rushfeldt. He argues that the marriage remains a unique relationship in its ability to procreate and raise children and deserves its special status.

Focus on the Family Canada says the government is acting out of step with the wishes of Canadians.

“The NDP government has set out to impose it views on Canadians through the unelected court system without any mandate from the voters,” says Focus Canada president Darrel Reid. He adds that the only ones who seem uncertain about the heterosexual definition of marriage are the NDP government and a few special interest groups.

Reid called on citizens to contact the justice minister and their MLAs to voice their concerns and ask that the voters have a chance to decide this issue. He also urged people to contact their MPs to demand that a Definition of Marriage Act be passed this fall to settle the issue.