Same-Sex Difference
Klein separates stance on gay marriage from bishop’s
Edmonton
Sun, January 21, 2005
By Jerry Ward, Legislature Bureau
Premier Ralph Klein yesterday separated his
government’s opposition to same-sex marriages from controversial comments
made by an Alberta Roman Catholic bishop. Bishop Fred Henry recently sent out
a letter to his Calgary congregation, arguing
that homosexuality needs to be curtailed for the good of all society.
In the letter, he linked homosexuality with adultery,
prostitution and pornography as human acts that undermine the foundation of
the family, and argued for “the state ... (to) use its coercive power to
proscribe or curtail them in the interests of the common good.”
Klein said that as a politician, he would not use those
examples to make his point against gay unions, which Ottawa plans to legalize
in the coming weeks.
“I don’t believe Bishop Henry’s words that it leads
to other things like prostitution, pornography.” the premier said.
“Unfortunately, that exists in a heterosexual
environment as well.”
Klein went on to say gays should not be subjected to
discrimination, “except when it comes to marriage. I believe that gays and
lesbians ought not be discriminated against on the basis of religion,
housing—there should be no discrimination.
“Our position is that they ought not to be
discriminated against, except when it comes to marriage to enforce the
traditional definition of a marriage.”
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