| “Respecting Difference” supports Catholic education rights |
| |
TORONTO, February 2, 2012 (CCRL) - “Respecting Difference” establishes guidelines for Catholic school boards to follow in implementing anti-bullying strategies that will be both comprehensive and consistent with Catholic teaching on sexual morality. The report was issued January 26 by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA) on behalf of the joint Ontario Catholic bishops and OCSTA committee tasked with developing guidelines regarding the establishment and operation o |
|
| League congratulates Cardinal-designate Collins |
| |
| TORONTO, ON January 6, 2012 – The Catholic Civil Rights League congratulates Archbishop Thomas Collins on his elevation by Pope Benedict XVI to the College of Cardinals and wishes him many years of continued service to the Church. “We have always appreciated Archbishop Collins’ leadership, especially on life issues and the defense of authentic Catholic teaching,” said League President Philip Horgan. “Among countless other efforts, Archbishop Collins’ |
|
| League would support effort to update “personhood” laws |
| |
| OTTAWA, ON January 5, 2012 - Canada’s Criminal Code provisions surrounding the legal rights of the unborn child are confusing and not in step with medical and social realities. Therefore the Catholic Civil Rights League supports recent statements by MPs, including Stephen Woodworth and Jeff Watson, recommending that the provisions be discussed in Parliament.“While most people acknowledge that human life is present from conception onward, legal personhood is a different story; it is d |
|
| Poll shows better care is needed, says League |
| |
| TORONTO, ON January 3, 2012 – The Catholic Civil Rights League today commented on results of a Forum Research Poll finding that 67 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they support making it legal for doctors to help the terminally ill kill themselves.The poll, taken December 13 when a high-profile assisted death court case was in the news, surveyed 1,160 adults across Canada using accepted professional polling techniques. The question was “Are you in favour of making physician-assist |
|
| Catholic schools need to adapt anti-bullying initiative |
| |
| TORONTO, December 14, 2011 (CCRL) - The Ontario government recently introduced its “Accepting Schools Act” (Bill 13, Nov. 30). The Catholic Civil Rights League supports efforts to make all schools welcoming and respectful of all students, and to provide guidance, support and pastoral care for individual students. Students have a right to be free from bullying in all of its forms. Moreover, that is what parents expect, whether they send their children to public or publicly |
|
| BC court decision on polygamy reflects Canadians’ views, says CCRL |
| |
| TORONTO, ON November 23, 2011 – The Supreme Court of British Columbia today upheld Canada's polygamy laws, but said those who enter polygamous unions before the age of 18 should be exempt from prosecution. Except for the ruling that minors should not be criminalized, the decision upholds Section 293 of the Criminal Code. Those advocating legalization had cited religious freedom as justification for the practice of polygamy. The Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) is encouraged by the decis |
|
| CCRL urges support for Bill C-304 |
| |
| OTTAWA, On November 23, 2011 – The Catholic Civil Rights League encourages all MPs to support Bill C-304, “An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act”, which was read and debated last night in the House of Commons. The private member’s bill, introduced in September by MP Brian Storseth (CPC-Westlock-St. Paul), seeks to repeal Section 13 of the federal Human Rights Code banning hate speech over the Internet. Because Section 13 has been used to penalize the peaceable expression o |
|
| Support respect for life in BC case, says League |
| |
| TORONTO, ON November 14, 2011 – The Catholic Civil Rights League today expressed the hope that respect for life will prevail in the assisted suicide case currently before the BC Supreme Court.Carter vs. Attorney General of Canada brings a constitutional challenge to Canada's laws prohibiting assisted suicide and euthanasia. The League is not an intervenor in this case. However, it is an institutional member of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, which is present in court as an intervenor. |
|
| CCRL criticizes civic penalty for "unauthorized" Mass |
| |
| MONTREAL, QC November 3, 2011 – The Catholic Civil Rights League has expressed its support for a group of Catholics who were fined by a Montreal-area municipality for conducting a Mass and other religious activities in a public building they had rented for the gathering.The event took place at Lachine’s Maison du Brasseur on a Sunday two years ago, and involved about 80 members of the lay group En Route. The private gathering included an inspirational video, prayer, Mass and a potluc |
|
| League pleased to learn trespassing charges against students dropped |
| |
|
OTTAWA, ON November 2, 2011 – The Catholic Civil Rights League is pleased to learn that trespassing charges against members of Carleton Lifeline have been withdrawn, and hopes the school year will be marked by a climate of openness to all viewpoints on university campuses.
While a number of pro-life campus clubs have faced restrictions on their activities over the past several years, Carleton was probably the first school where students were actually handcuffed while being arrested for |
|
| Canadian attitudes don’t match legal vacuum on abortion |
| |
| OTTAWA, ON November 1, 2011(CCRL) – The annual poll by Life Canada has found that most Canadians want some legal protection for the unborn, and in general do not support public funding of most abortions. In results released yesterday, seventy-two percent of Canadians surveyed in a September National Omnibus poll support legal protection for the unborn. Most (62 per cent) want protection from conception, or two or three months' gestation on. Another ten per cent favor protection from six mo |
|
| CCRL welcomes changes to Act of Settlement |
| |
|
TORONTO, On October 29, 2011 - On Friday December 28, the leaders of the Commonwealth approved a motion that would make succession to the Crown based on age rather than gender, and would allow heirs to the throne to marry a Catholic without losing their place in the succession. As one of the Commonwealth nations that recognizes the Queen as head of state, Canada is a signatory to the motion.
“It’s easy to joke about the Act of Settlement when it affects so very few "candidate |
|
| CCRL announces board changes at AGM |
| |
| TORONTO, ON October 18, 2011 – The Catholic Civil Rights
League elected a new regional director to its board
at its Annual General Meeting October 13, and announced one resignation.
Christian D. Elia, former director of the Office for
Catholic Youth in the Archdiocese of Toronto, was elected as Ontario
director. The League regretfully accepted the
resignation of Sean Murphy, who has served as
western region director in B.C. for 10 years and now wishes to devote more time
to othe |
|
| League intervenes in hate speech case |
| |
|
OTTAWA, On October 13, 2011 - On Wednesday, October 12 CCRL made its intervention in the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC) vs. William Whatcott. The League was represented by Ryan Dalziel of Bull, Hausser and Tupper LLP in Vancouver. Mr. Whatcott’s lawyer, Thomas A. Schuck of Saskatchewan, is a member of the League. The case, initiated by a complaint to the SHRC by people who considered flyers distributed by Mr. Whatcott to be hateful |
|
Welcome
to Catholic Civil Rights League, Canada’s only lay
organization devoted exclusively to combating anti-Catholic defamation
and to bringing Church teaching to bear on issues of public debate.
Visit this site regularly for our latest news and updated resources.
And be sure to recommend us to anyone who might be interested.