These rallys will be taking place across Canada, and are planned for every Member of Parliaments constituency office (with a few exceptions with different locations).
More information at the organizer's website:
http://www.sanctityofmarriage.ca/
Despite full-page ads in major newspapers (e.g. National Post), this has rec'd very little press coverage. The only coverage google gave was from the obscure Terrence B.C. Standard.
1 posted on
09/07/2003 8:17:38 AM PDT by
MalcolmS
To: MalcolmS
well, my best wishes for this effort.
It looks to me like Canada has traveled very far in the wrong direction - maybe past the point of no-return
2 posted on
09/07/2003 8:55:58 AM PDT by
rface
(Ashland, Missouri - Sept. 11 - Never to be forgotten)
To: MalcolmS
Brace for leftist attacks
4 posted on
09/08/2003 8:34:39 AM PDT by
bluelowrider57
(More of da thugz crawlin)
To: MalcolmS
To: MalcolmS
Monday, September 8, 2003
Calgarians join anti-gay marriage rallies
People pray against change
By MELISSA RIDGEN, CALGARY SUN
http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=126174#126174 Hundreds of Calgarians joined a national protest against gay marriage yesterday, including more than 300 who prayed outside Canadian Alliance MP Jason Kenney's constituency office yesterday.
Pastor Willy Reimer of the Sunwest Christian Fellowship said marriage predates Canada, its political leaders and the courts and therefore shouldn't be redefined to include same-sex couples.
"It's an assault on common sense and the values of society," he said.
'ASSAULT ON SENSE'
Rallier Howard Maines, 74, feels the majority of Canadians don't agree with same-sex marriages and should speak out.
"If God wanted gays to marry it would be in the Bible and it's not," Maines said. "How can you support something that's not God's will when marriage is a religious institution?"
Kenney believes marriage should be limited to heterosexual couples, but is also fighting against marriage redefinition because he feels it's not an issue for the courts to decide, as was the case in Ontario.
"This is a democracy and we're going to take it back," the Calgary Southeast MP said. "We aren't going to let the courts impose their morality on our society."
It's the responsibility of elected leaders to do what the majority of their constituents want, he said.
To: MalcolmS
LONDON, ON
-posted by London Lady
http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13978 I was at the rally for Pat O'Brien's London-Fanshawe riding along with about 50 others. Pat is against SSM and he was good enough to be there at the rally to speak to those present.
Apparently at Sue Barnes' London West riding there were about 100. Sue is for SSM and she was not present. I haven't yet heard about the other riding-Joe Fontana's- in London.
I'm happy that with such short notice (many people only heard about it at church this morning) we had as many as we did.
I blame myself for the poor showing because I knew about this over a month ago but didn't pass it along
To: MalcolmS
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/archives/story.asp?id=626F633A-459D-427E-B912-949E860F66BB Same-sex battle lines drawn
Churches push marriage showdown
Mario Toneguzzi
Calgary Herald
Sunday, August 31, 2003
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/archives/story.asp?id=626F633A-459D-427E-B912-949E860F66BB Gay activists and a coalition of religious groups in Calgary and across the country are stepping up their lobbying campaign against federal politicians as the same-sex marriage issue moves toward a legal showdown.
A coalition of religious groups says it will hold a news conference Tuesday to name about 30 southern Ontario MPs they will target for supporting gay marriage.
They're also planning to hold rallies and pray in as many as possible of Canada's 301 federal ridings next Sunday.
Jim Wallace, senior pastor at the South Calgary Community Church in Cedarbrae, said the church has encouraged its congregation to participate in the Sept. 7 event.
"I would say (this issue) has certainly struck a deep chord in Canadian society because of the importance of traditional marriage to many, many people," he said.
Wallace said the church has not made any public statements on the issue, but it does support traditional marriages.
Senior Pastor Phil Nordin, of Calgary Jubilee Christian Centre, described the strategy of the religious coalition as "quite aggressive."
Nordin's congregation will participate, he said, in the Sept. 7 activities.
"This is gaining momentum with different groups behind it," he said.
"It is a grassroots movement."
Meanwhile, gay activists have embarked on an e-mail and letter-writing campaign targeting many MPs who have been lukewarm in their support for same-sex marriage.
The strategic move comes after recent news the Canadian Alliance party will force a vote on the issue as soon as Parliament returns next month.
Under the federal government's plan to refer draft legislation to the Supreme Court of Canada prior to its introduction in Parliament, MPs are not likely to vote on any proposed law until late 2004.
However, the Alliance motion could put the government's plan in jeopardy.
It is expected to be based on a 1999 motion that passed 216-55 with broad support from Liberals, including Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
The June 8, 1999, motion stated that "marriage is and should remain the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and that Parliament will take all necessary steps within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada to preserve this definition of marriage in Canada."
The Alliance says it is working on the exact wording of the proposal.
The Supreme Court has tentatively set aside next April 16 to hear arguments on whether gays and lesbians can legally marry, potentially putting the divisive issue fresh on the minds of voters if a federal election is called next spring.
On Friday, the Alberta government served formal notice it will intervene in the Supreme Court's review of proposed same-sex marriage legislation.
Alberta is expected to be the only province to oppose the legislation.
"This is fairly important. One of our concerns is that those against equal marriage appear to be primarily from conservative churches who have good access to their membership and they've rallied their side effectively," said Stephen Lock, Calgary representative for EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) Canada.
"But we believe MPs are not getting an accurate read of this," Lock said.
The gay community has embarked on an e-mail and letter-writing campaign to MPs, said Lock. It is also forming alliances with a variety of other pro-same-sex marriage groups.
Two Calgary couples were recently rejected at a provincial registries office when they tried to apply for a marriage licence. Both couples have filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
Keith Purdy and his partner, Rick Kennedy, the first to file complaints, said Thursday the provincial government has asked for an extension until Sept. 30 to respond to the complaint.
mtoneguzzi@theherald.canwest.com © Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald
To: MalcolmS
BACK TO EDMONTON, ALBERTA
http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=126184#126184 Prayers protest marriages of gay, lesbian couples
250 Edmontonians gathered as part of national event that aimed to attract 100,000
Mairi MacLean
The Edmonton Journal
Monday, September 08, 2003
http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id=34729C94-AA0A-431B-BBA4-7B10BD907232 EDMONTON - Opponents of homosexual marriage, including 250 in Edmonton, gathered in silent prayer across the country Sunday to protest a proposed law legalizing same-sex unions.
Most of the rallies took place in front of the constituency offices of federal MPs. A coalition of religious groups had hoped to attract 100,000 people across Canada.
Opponents want to convince politicians -- especially those who were in close races -- that they risk defeat in the next election, expected next spring, if they support the legislation.
When groups on opposite sides of the same-sex marriage issue started demonstrating in front of federal Health Minister Anne McLellan's office on Sunday afternoon, one of them decided to move to avoid a confrontation.
Those opposed to same-sex marriage moved a block away from McLellan's constituency office to hold a prayer rally, after seeing about 50 people who support gay marriage standing in front of McLellan's door, many waving small signs.
"Can't we at least pray together? It's sad they moved," said Suzanne Cowles, a retired Lutheran pastor, who had joined members of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the United, Unitarian and Lutheran churches and others on the office steps.
The exodus was led in part by Spruce Grove Catholic school teacher Jim Zdril, who organized the rally in McLellan's riding for the Canada Family Action Coalition, a group dedicated to seeing Judeo-Christian moral principles restored in Canada. He said the emphasis was on prayer, not demonstration or confrontation.
"We decided with all the work that went into the prayer rally, we didn't want any kind of trouble," said Zdril.
Garry Rohr, a pastor at Southside Pentecostal Assembly, said a "lot of churches are afraid to voice their opinion openly in the public square -- there can be repercussions, tax-wise.
"In effect, this is a pro-family lobby group in contact with pastors who understand key issues as they relate to the church."
Zdril said the group is "very interested" in Bill C-250, which he calls "frightening." Proposed by NDP MP Svend Robinson, the bill would expand the definition of "identifiable group" in the Criminal Code's hate propaganda law to include anyone targeted due to his or her sexual orientation.
"It would make any discussion on the homosexual agenda into the realm of hate-mongering," said Rohr, "We believe Bill C-250 and the marriage re-definition are each sides of the same coin. They stifle legitimate discussion."
He also said the Edmonton Faith Coalition for Natural Marriage has been working with Sikh and Muslim representatives to talk to MPs about the issue
mmaclean@thejournal.canwest.com
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