By Chad Groening
October 11, 2006

(AgapePress) - A Canadian pro-family activist says Canada's liberal judicial system has continually stomped on the free-speech rights of religious people in favor of homosexuals. That is why he believes a "Defense of Religions Act" is a good idea. Such an act has been proposed by Conservatives and has been floating around Parliament since that legislative body came into session this fall.

Brian Rushfeldt of the Canada Family Action Coalition says unfortunately, although the free-speech rights of people of faith are supposed to be protected by the nation's constitution, in the courts Christians' rights are frequently trumped by those of homosexuals. "And it's strictly happening because judges are interpreting it that way," he insists.

"In theory, one can say freedom of religion is protected," Rushfeldt says. "But in practice," he contends, "when it gets before a judge, it's not protected. There is no protection for religious people in Canada any longer."

Although the Canadian constitution provides "protection for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of conscience," the pro-family activist observes, "there's also a clause in there for protection of rights, of people." And armed with that clause, he says, liberal judges are trampling the freedoms of citizens with religious or traditional values in favor of the supposed "rights" of homosexuals.

"What's happening is judges are reading our constitution, which is our basic law, and saying that somehow, if I oppose homosexual behavior, my freedom of speech violates homosexuals' rights," Rushfeldt asserts. But a Defense of Religions Act would protect people of faith, he says, such as -- for instance -- public officials who refuse to perform same-sex 'marriages' or church groups that refuse to rent halls to homosexual couples.

But while he supports the idea of a Defense of Religions Act, Rushfeldt thinks the point may be moot for the time being. He says he doubts the legislation will appear before Parliament any time in the near future.