We will continue to fight, say opponents of same-sex marriage

Commons' vote will not alter Church's resolve – Gaumond

"I don't see reopening this question in the future." Prime Minister Stephen Harper

By DEBORAH GYAPONG
Canadian Catholic News
Ottawa

Canada's Catholic bishops say the marriage debate is not over, despite the "disappointing" loss of a House of Commons motion to consider restoring the traditional definition.

"For Catholics, marriage is an issue intimately related to human nature which has been created male and female," Archbishop Andre Gaumond, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), said in a statement following the vote.

"Catholic teaching on this remains consistent and constant: marriage is the exclusive union of one man and one woman. It is essential for all Canadians to continue this debate, despite the recent decision of the House of Commons."

The special relationship

Members of Parliament voted down the motion Dec. 7 by 175 to 123.

Gaumond urged Catholics to continue to encourage marriage as the special relationship between a man and a woman.

He also said the federal government should do more research on the implications of marriage redefinition on society and monitor provincial policies that might interfere with freedom of religion, conscience and expression.

Catholics, Gaumond urged, should guard against any further legislative changes such as legalizing polygamy and should watch for threats to the charitable status of groups that hold the traditional view of marriage.

And he called for efforts to ensure that traditional marriage is respected in the schools.

Debate closed! - Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, however, considers the debate closed.

"We made a promise to have a free vote on this issue, we kept that promise, and obviously the vote was decisive and obviously we'll accept the democratic result of the people's representatives," Harper told journalists following the vote.

"We face the same challenges as the first Christians." Michele Boulva

"I don't see reopening this question in the future."

Harper also said he had no plans for legislation to protect religious freedom. "If there ever were a time in the future where fundamental freedoms were threatened, of course the government would respond to protect them."

The new Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said the marriage debate would be "officially over" if he became prime minister.

He painted opponents of same-sex marriage as anti-Charter and anti human rights, though he did allow a free vote after musing about "whipping" or forcing the Liberal caucus to vote against the motion. The Bloc Quebecois and New Democratic MPs were forced to vote against it.

Right of conscience

The CCCB called for all political leaders to protect the right of MPs to vote their conscience on moral issues.

The CCCB joins many other groups that maintain the debate is not over, including the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Canadian Family Action Coalition, and the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF).

"We face the same challenges as the first Christians," COLF director Michele Boulva said in an interview Dec. 11. "We need to roll up our sleeves and present to the world the extraordinary vision of marriage that we have as Catholics."

Phil Horgan, president of the Catholic Civil Rights League, noted the "gay rights agenda" has a marginalizing effect on people and institutions who disagree with it.

Former Liberal MP Pat O'Brien told journalists that supporters of traditional marriage will continue to ask candidates where they stand on the issue.

Marriage could come up again in the form of a private member's bill, he said.

Thirteen Liberal MPs voted in favour of the motion, down from 36 who voted against same-sex marriage Bill C-38 in 2005. Thirteen Tories, including six cabinet ministers, voted against it.

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