Anglicans fight hiring of lesbian priest
…Anglican Bishop Peter Coffin has allowed a married lesbian to work as a priest in Ottawa, incurring the wrath of a small but vociferous group of conservatives within the Ottawa diocese.
…One church has withheld about $36,000 of its dues to the diocese and several clergy signed an open letter denouncing their bishop.
…The letter said Coffin reneged on the spirit of the Anglican church’s national moratorium on same-sex unions by allowing Rev. Linda Privitera to work as a priest. She is American, ordained and married in Massachusetts, and came to Canada with her partner in November.
…Coffin has honoured the moratorium that suspended any church blessing of same-sex unions, but he says: “I cannot see (homosexuality) as a sin . . .
Dallaire makes plea for Darfur
…Retired general Romeo Dallaire says the federal government must stop “fiddling” with the military mission in Afghanistan—and also “get off its butt” and send ..troops to Darfur.
…The Liberal-appointed senator accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of risking soldiers’ lives by needlessly seeking support in the Commons to extend Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan.
…Dallaire called it “an incredible, callous exercise.”
…But the former commander of a poorly supported United Nations peacekeeping mission during the Rwandan genocide of 1994 did praise the prime minister for visiting troops in Afghanistan in March.
…The move was “absolutely magnificent and of first class,” he said.
Price of Bill 107
…The Liberals recently announced in the Legislative Assembly a proposal to create a new human rights system for Ontario.
…The current human rights system consists of an investigation and enforcement branch comprising the Ontario Human Rights Commission and an adjudication branch comprising the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
…This system has been in place since 1962, when the province enacted Canada’s first human rights code. The code was established to prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and in public accommodations, goods, services and facilities.
…The new bill has been sent forward for a second reading debate in the House, after Attorney General Michael Bryant offered assurances that he held consultations with numerous community and human rights groups; and also guaranteed that the recommendations are consistent with numerous reports including the Cornish Report; and declared that the legislation, if passed, would modernize and strengthen Ontario’s “40-year-old” system.
…Bill 107 effectively guts the Ontario Human Rights Commission, eliminating the entire enforcement provision. By voiding the investigation and compliance functions of the commission, complainants will be expected to navigate the process on their own or hire a lawyer.
…Where is the public to turn for help? The public will effectively be on its own.
Liberal? Get over it
…There’s good news for the young and hopelessly naive and liberal: You’ll get over it.
…I understand what life is like on a typical college campus and have gripped with the misplaced mental energies of youth. I can empathize with the temptations of liberal cynicism, the appeal of academic elitism and an almost embarrassingly idealistic view of world affairs.
…Maybe you’ll even wise up and realize that if you weren’t so scared of the military, you could have signed up for the armed forces and done something worthwhile.
…Dealing with liberal urges and ideas is just another part of growing up, like when males’ voices change. The best way to handle it is to keep it private.
