Opponents to Gay Marriage Legislation Step-Up Campaign in Canada

Earlier this week protests against Canada's plans to legalise gay marriage moved up a level as mass rallies and half a million leaflets were printed by opponents to the proposals. It is hoped that the new campaign will help to guide people to reject the idea and to persuade the legislators to re-think their actions.

On Tuesday, the Liberal government released draft legislation that will see same-sex marriages become legal. Immediately following this, huge protests began across Ottawa and Canada by those who say that the bill is a direct attack on the freedom of religion.

If the law is passed, Canada would become the third country after Belgium and the Netherlands to permit same-sex marriages.

The bill is likely to be presented to the Canadian parliament in the next three to four months, and the President of the Canada Family Action Coalition, Charles McVety commented that was ready to campaign strongly across the country to rally opposition to the bill.

McVety said, "We're printing half a million brochures so we're going to help the various organisations with literature... they will be distributed by various entities that are fighting this and that will (include) churches."

Meanwhile, McVety also helps to guide the Defend Marriage Coalition, which has undertaken the responsibility to help raise money and support for other groups who oppose gay marriage.

Bruce Clemenger, head of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said Ottawa was hurrying down an unknown path.

"It is a sad day when the language of 'husband and wife' is removed from federal legislation. Is this what Canadians want? It is a distorted notion of tolerance and respect that eclipses distinctive relationships," he told reporters.

The Canadian newspaper, The National Post, which is considered to hold conservative views on the issue, published a poll on Wednesday reporting that two-thirds of the country’s population would back a national referendum on the issue. It also indicated that approximately 66% of Canadians also wanted the definition of marriage to continue to be uniquely a union between a man and a woman.

The proposed bill, which has angered conservative Christians across Canada and the world, if successful would allow marriages to take place between gays and lesbians. However, the bill also allows religious ministers to reject blessing such unions of they so wished.

At the heart of the opponents against homosexual marriage are Canada’s 2.5 million evangelical Christians. They together with other Christian organisations and those of other faiths such as Orthodox Jews and Sikhs have formed a strong voice to oppose the proposals.

McVety reported that the focus of his campaign would be in Canada’s largest city, Toronto. This appears also to be a good tactical maneuver as the city is also home to several dozens of Liberal legislators. He said, "The greater Toronto area is where this battle will be won or lost."