wfn.org | CANADA: BISHOPS DEFEND RIGHTS OF HOMOSEXUALS

[a.whitefield@quest.org.uk]

July 21, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Connunications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England
Tel: [44] (0)171 620-1110   Fax: [44] (0)171 620-1070

97.7.4.1

CANADA: BISHOPS DEFEND RIGHTS OF HOMOSEXUALS

(Anglican Church of Canada) Anglican Bishops in the Province of British 
Columbia have sent the following letter to the province's premier, the
Hon. Glen Clark:

"As bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada in British Columbia, we
write to express our support for the provincial government's proposed
amendments to the Family Relations Act and the Family Maintenance
Enforcement Act.

"It is a matter of fundamental equality and human rights that homosexual 
people should have the same obligations and protection under the civil
law as other citizens of British Columbia. Our support for the proposed
changes in this Province is consistent with positions taken by the
General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada and the national House of
Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada in recent years:

 "We affirm that homosexual persons are entitled to equal protection
under the law with all other Canadian citizens."
 (Guidelines of the House of Bishops, Mississauga, 1979)

 "We condemn... bigotry, violence and hatred directed toward any due to 
their sexual orientation."
 (General Synod, Ottawa, 1995)

 "This House of Bishops supports the proposed amendments in the House of 
Commons to the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation."
 (House of Bishops, Mississauga, 1996)

"Religious organisations have a particular responsibility to safeguard
the freedom, dignity and responsibility of every person, and to work for
an end to discrimination. While we are aware that many people cannot yet
accept homosexual relationships as equal in dignity with heterosexual 
relationships, nevertheless we have an obligation to safeguard the
rights of same-sex partners as a matter of justice. Equality must be
supported in substance, not just by rhetoric.

"We do not believe the proposed legislation will weaken the family 
structure, which is central to the well-being of society. On the
contrary, by ensuring the same benefits and the same responsibilities
for homosexual families as for heterosexual families, it will strengthen
all families in their diversity and encourage long-term, stable
relationships to the benefit of children, spouses and society as a
whole."