Canadian Lawyers Claim Pending Gay Marriage Bill Threatens Clergy

In Canada, in February the government proposed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage (Bill C-38). Today LifeSite News reports on a letter to members of Parliament from a group of lawyers claiming that enactment will lead to litigation against religious officials and groups that refuse to solemnize same-sex marriages. Even though the proposed bill provides that "officials of religious groups are free to refuse to perform marriages that are not in accordance with their religious beliefs", the lawyers claim that "the Parliament of Canada cannot protect religious groups or officials from [lawsuits] because the solemnization of marriage lies within the exclusive competence of the provinces."