Catholic Civil Rights League.

Toronto--The C.C.R.L. annual meeting on August 29 drew members' attention to three ongoing efforts.

1. The "Coalition of Conscience" is seeking protection for health care personnel. The CCRL is supportive of this group. It was suggested that the proper avenue to accomplish this is the Employment Standards Act rather than the Human Rights Act.

2. The League is supporting the work of the "Canada Family Action Coalition" (represented by Peter Stock) in Ottawa, in reversing anti-family federal tax legislation. The Coalition is non-partisan and inter-denominational. It seeks to end tax discrimination against more traditional families, such as found in the Child-Care Act and the proposed same-sex spouses alterations in the Income Tax Act, the Immigration Act and other statutes.

3. In Vancouver, the League is intervening in the court case of the provincial College of Teachers which aims to continue its public discrimination against the teachers' education program of Trinity Western University, the Evangelical university in Langley, B.C.

The League appeared before the B.C. Court of Appeal in mid-June in support of Trinity's right to oppose the homosexual lifestyle in its teachers' program. The B.C. College of Teachers calls this "unjust discrimination," which supposedly is contrary to "Canadian values," and which, allegedly, will result in "intolerant prospective teachers".

The implication of this last position is clear for all others who reject the homosexual lifestyle, such as Catholics. Opposition to homosexuality in schools would be forbidden, and "gay" activists would be given free rein to propagate their perversions throughout the school system.

The CCRL anticipates that this important case will go to the Supreme Court. Said CCRL's Michael Markwick, a Vancouver lawyer: "The moment you grant the state the power to cherry-pick among religious beliefs, in the name of `Canadian values,' you cut at the roots of the tolerance and diversity we have come to cherish as a people."

CCRL membership stands at around 2500, plus some 30,000 parish supporters, thanks to the strong support of Archbishop Adam Exner of Vancouver and Bishop Lawrence Sabatini in Kamloops. The B.C. Catholic Teachers' Association is also very supportive.

The idea of a full-time Executive DIrector had to be abandoned despite the good work of Michael Markwick. Under the present circumstances the League cannot afford it.

Membership and support donations may be forwarded to the treasurer, Mr. Hugh Loughran (Catholic Civil RIghts League, P.O. Box 45138, 81 Lakeshore Rd. E., Mississauga, ON, L5G 4S7; Tel: [phone]).