MONTREAL, QC-"Marriage is in greater danger in Quebec than in any other province," says Denis Bourget of Objectif Famille (Focus on the Family). "Only 30 per cent of couples actually get married here."

Studies find that people who marry are generally healthier, richer, less stressed and less abusive than those who live together without marriage, says Bourget. "Quebec’s high drop-out rate, number of suicides, problems with addiction and conjugal violence simply confirm the fact that the disregard for marriage is having a profound impact on this society," he says.

In response to the unpopular status of marriage in Quebec and to promote the historical definition of marriage in the present context, a group of 15 denominations and ministries have come together to form the Evangelical Protestant Coalition for Marriage.

At a meeting of the coalition on March 27, Bourget shared findings about the benefits of marriage, from a booklet called "Why Marriage Matters" by Glen Stanton. Focus on the Family, says Bourget, will work with the coalition providing similar resources to strengthen marriages.

Daniel Genest, who is associated with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s ministry in Quebec, presented the EFC’s summary of the current status of marriage in Canada and the five options that are before the government.

Faced with the threat of same-sex marriage legislation, Michel Habib, president of the French Fellowship Baptists, summarized the coalition position this way: "We are not against gay marriage. We are promoting the historical definition of marriage."

To do so effectively, the coalition opts for public expression that uses secular language, but communicates evangelical beliefs. "That’s easier said than done," admits Eric Lanthier, president and media spokesperson for the group.

Lanthier says that for the time being, the group is limiting media coverage. "We do not want to be seen as reactionary, so we are not commenting on the new gay marriage law, for example. The media have chosen to boycott us, anyway," he says, referring to two past press conferences where no media showed up.

The coalition’s goal is to work through the church networks by informing and equipping leaders who communicate with pastors who in turn encourage individual members of their congregations to take action. "This is not about any political allegiance. This is a moral issue," says Lanthier. "We want to identify the candidates for the upcoming federal elections who believe in marriage. We are asking people to call their MPs and voice their opinion."

For Lanthier, Bourget and the members of the coalition, defending marriage is both a social and a spiritual issue. "Our society is already paying the price for the breakdown of the family," says Bourget.