Political efforts to bring back traditional marriage intensify.

With the resumption of Parliament on September 18, amid the pledge by Prime Minister Stephen Harper of an imminent vote on whether to re-open the same-sex "marriage" issue, Catholics and pro-family Canadians in general are being reminded of the importance of intensifying their lobbying efforts in support of traditional marriage.

Aidan Reid, national public affairs director for Campaign Life Coalition in Ottawa, told Catholic Insight that his organization had been busy over the summer identifying where individual MPs stood on marriage, with the goal of developing an effective lobbying strategy to be implemented once the legislators return to Ottawa from their local constituencies.

"We're putting in the plugs that the issue should be reopened, because it wasn't dealt with properly before," he said. Although there is much that organizations such as CLC can do to raise the profile of the issue and sway MPs, Reid noted that individual citizens working on their own representatives can be more effective: it is the citizens, after all, who cast the votes in elections and to whom politicians truly listen.

Reid emphasized that "things could go very fast" on the marriage issue once Parliament resumes sitting, so this is no time for pro-marriage Canadians to vacillate. Although there is a possibility the minority Conservative government may fall over a key issue such as the softwood lumber deal with the U.S.--thus pushing a vote on marriage further into the future--more likely an election will be triggered by something after the Liberal party holds its leadership convention this December, he explained. He also pointed out that there is a danger that Harper and the Conservatives will not pursue a pro-marriage course with vigour, and instead hold a vote on marriage simply to get it out of the way. They may want to placate their socially conservative supporters by claiming they fulfilled their promise and did what they could to bring back the traditional definition of marriage. But Harper personally is not very concerned with the fate of marriage; instead he is focused on other issues, such as the economy.

Former London-Fanshawe, ON MP Pat O'Brien, who quit the Liberal party over its advocacy of same-sex "marriage," said he has been networking extensively in the past few months with pro-marriage organizations including evangelical groups, the Catholic Women's League and the Knights of Columbus. In fact, he had just returned from a fruitful meeting at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Office in New Haven, CT when Catholic Insight spoke to him.

He relayed that his recent efforts in support of traditional marriage have included weekly conference calls involving members of the Defend Marriage Coalition, and backing Christian television personality David Mainse as he plans a 100-riding tour of Canada this fall. O'Brien said it would be better if a parliamentary vote on the marriage issue is held later, rather than sooner, in order to give pro-marriage forces more time to co-ordinate and marshal their resources.

"It is possible to win the vote. We need effective lobbying and the effort is intensifying," he said. He stressed the importance of personal contact between constituents and their MPs, as opposed to petitions or e-mails, and hoped that Christian leaders, especially Catholic bishops, will take up the cause in earnest. A number are preparing pastoral letters or inserts in their diocesan papers for early September.

The website www.votemarriagecanada.ca has a number of resources citizens can use in building a case for traditional marriage with legislators. A page of "do's and don'ts" offers tips such as: make your argument in a curt two or three sentences; be prepared to counter equality arguments about same-sex "marriage;" and encourage like-minded family members, friends and neighbours to activate as well. On the other hand, do not berate or harass your MP; do not be bullied by his or her staff; and do not use a form letter.

There are numerous organizations currently involved in the battle to reinstate the traditional definition of marriage in Canadian law. Many of them also have valuable information and resources citizens can use to join in the effort. Some of them include: Campaign Life Coalition and the LifeSiteNews.com website (also at www.lifesite.net); the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (www.colf.ca); Enshrine Marriage Canada (www.enshrinemarriage.ca); Vote Marriage Canada (www.votemarriagecanada.ca); Preserve Marriage (www.preservemarriage.ca); the Pro-Marriage Network (www.promarriage.ca); the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/social/marriage.asp); Focus on the Family Canada (www.fotf.ca/tfn/protectmarriage2006/); REAL Women of Canada (www.realwomenca.com); Defend Marriage Canada (www.defendmarriage.ca); and Restore Marriage Canada (www.restoremarriagecanada.ca).

For more articles about same-sex "marriage" and homosexuality, please visit our website, www.catholicinsight.com.

Tony Gosgnach is a freelance media person who is also assistant editor of The Interim newspaper.