"Participation in the current public debate on marriage has demonstrated there are individuals who believe that Catholic Church teaching on homosexual behaviour is hatred. We remain concerned that this bill as presently drafted could be used in an attempt to silence Church teaching in this regard," they said.

The Catholic bishops urged senators to change Svend Robinson's private member's bill, which includes sexual orientation in the hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code, so that no one could be prosecuted under the hate crimes provisions for publicly commenting on sexual morality.

The bishops said they have seen the impact of including sexual orientation in previous legislation and suggested they have little confidence in reassurances that the changes in the Criminal Code will not affect freedom of religion.

"For example, when the question was about social benefits, reassurances were given that the traditional concepts of marriage and family were not at risk," they said.

Janet Epp Buckingham, the director of law and public policy for the
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said senators have told her they are
"getting a ton of phone calls and e-mails opposing the bill," but said
there is also "quite a bit of momentum for the bill to pass."

The evangelical fellowship said that if C-250 is passed, it will endanger
faith groups' freedom to read, preach and distribute sacred texts, and to
publicly discuss and comment on sexual morality.

© The Calgary Herald 2004