McGuinty ignores own Catholicism
TORONTO – Toronto Sun columnist Christina Blizzard asked Ontario Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty about Pope Benedict XVI’s recent comments in Latin America. They upheld Catholic teaching with regard to the responsibility of Catholic legislators to protect the sanctity of human life and uphold the traditional family. When they don’t, it is correct to ex-communicate them, said the Pope. McGuinty supports abortion and homosexual “marriage,” but continues to refer to himself as a Catholic. He reiterated his anti-life, anti-family views by claiming that few politicians would “allow all of their actions to be informed exclusively by the dictates of the church.” He added: “I have a different constituency than does the Pope.” Father Alphonse de Valk, editor of Catholic Insight, replied that McGuinty cannot be “both Catholic and pro-choice.” Fr. de Valk explained: “The Magisterium of the Church has solemnly declared abortion to be an intrinsic evil, directly contradicting God’s reason and revelation. Abortion is neither a ‘right,’ nor is it acceptable. It is wholly evil.”
House passes age of consent increase
OTTAWA – A government bill to raise the age of sexual consent in Canada from 14 to 16 passed in the House of Commons, despite the fact that according to the voice vote recorded by Hansard, those opposed to the bill seemed to be in the majority, according to the Speaker’s verdict. But after the NDP joined the Conservatives in supporting the bill, following rumours of an undisclosed deal between the two parties, the bill won approval and headed to the Canadian Senate. Senate passage is not assured, considering the huge Liberal majority in the Upper Chamber. At 14, Canada has one of the lowest age of consents in the developed world. However, the new 16-year age limit will include a “near-in-age exception” that will legally permit anyone within five years of age to engage in consensual sexual activity. In April, the justice committee rejected an attempt by NDP MP Joe Comartin to amend the bill to also lower the age of consent for sodomy from 18 to 16. Comartin has now introduced a private member’s bill designed to eliminate age of consent requirements from applying to anal sex, by striking down Criminal Code limitations on sodomy.
Harm reduction site criticized
VANCOUVER – The Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice has criticized Insite, a federally funded Vancouver “safe-drug injection site.” Insite claims that by providing addicts with heroin or cocaine under medical supervision, it is reducing other risky behaviours, such as needle-sharing, overdoses and street crime. The Journal says that Insite’s claims are wrong because its benefits have been overstated, while negative findings have been ignored. Colin Mangham, director of research with the Drug Prevention Network of Canada, says the findings “give an impression the facility is successful, when in fact the research clearly shows a lack of program impact and success.” Randy White, president of the Drug Prevention Network of Canada, said Mangham’s study should end government support for the program. White says that prevention and treatment are the best options to deal with drugs.