THE CANADIAN TIMES

In early December Ontario’s Liberals and Conservatives introduced separate Anti-Bullying bills. Astonishingly PC Leader Tim Hudak chose to support Dalton McGuinty’s Bill 13. In Mr. Hudak’s rush to judgment he misled Ontarians to believe that Catholics were in support of the Premier’s proposed legislation. When challenged by the media on December 6th Mr. Hudak replied “As far as I understand to even the Catholic Trustees, the Board, the Bishops have said the approach and legislation is appropriate”. Mr. Hudak was misinformed.

On January 25th, 2012 the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association released a 16 page document entitled “Respecting Difference”, outlining their position respective to Mr. McGuinty’s Bill 13. It is clear that Catholic Trustees, the Board and the Bishops want to see efforts to stop bullying however they oppose Government imposition of LGBTTIQQ teaching and student led gay clubs on Christian Schools.

Mr. McGuinty is demanding that schools have gay clubs led by students. The Catholic schools will establish “Respective Difference” groups led by a “staff advisor” and that “The activities and organization of all groups or organizations formed within Catholic schools must be respectful of and consistent with Catholic teaching.” (Read More)

Mr. McGuinty is attempting to force Christians to teach his understanding of sexuality with LGBTTIQQ curriculum. The Catholic position is “Clearly, respect for students can be pursued from within a distinctively Catholic perspective.” And that “All mentors appointed to work with groups of students must know and be committed to Catholic teachings;”

Catholic teaching is defined in the document by referring to “the 2004 document Pastoral Guidelines to Assist Students of Same-Sex Orientation and the 2011 CCCB statement by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops “Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-Sex Attraction”. These guidelines state “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.” Also that “Homosexual persons are called to chastity” and that “Homosexuality is immoral.”

On behalf of many Christian, Jewish and other Faith leaders Dr. Charles McVety, President of the Institute for Canadian Values states “We are asking Mr. Hudak to correct his misinformed support for Bill 13 and instead support Bill 14 that attempts to combat bullying without encumbering this important task with controversial special interest complications”.