c. 1999 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ Canada’s Roman Catholic Church has told the federal government that, if it is seriously considering extending pension benefits to same-sex couples, it should bestow them upon anyone living together in a long-term, dependent relationship.

In a letter sent Jan. 27 to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, the chair of a Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops committee made the proposal because the church didn’t want to see any new federal laws give a homosexual couple the same status as a married heterosexual couple.”Surely the government can think of a way to respond to the legal challenges it faces from same-sex partners without redefining terms (such as marriage) that millions of Canadians cherish, and undermining an institution that plays a pivotal role in society,”wrote Vancouver Archbishop Adam Exner, chair of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Life and Family.

Exner said the government should ask itself whether it is ethical to extend benefits only to same-sex couples, while excluding others in live-in relationships _ such as friends or siblings. The letter was released from the Ottawa headquarters of the CCCB.”We are deeply concerned that equating homosexual partners with married and common-law couples could lead to a redefinition of marriage,”Exner said in the letter to Chretien and federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan.

The outspoken Vancouver archbishop last summer publicly pushed for the British Columbia government in his archdiocese to broaden its legislation conferring benefits to same-sex partners in the public employment to anyone in long-term relationships, such as elderly brothers living together.

Exner said he’s surprised by recent media reports suggesting the federal government is”seriously considering sweeping changes to dozens of pieces of legislation”that would ensure pension and financial benefits go to homosexual partners.

If the changes occur, the federal law reforms would go much further than British Columbia has in legally establishing that people in a homosexual relationship have the same rights as those in a heterosexual marriage.

In mid-January, there were news reports that Chretien seemed to be contradicting McLellan’s statement that the cabinet is reviewing all federal laws to eliminate discrimination against gays and lesbians.

McLellan had said the federal government’s decision not to appeal a 1998 court decision which ruled it is discriminatory to deny survivor pension benefits to a spouse of the same sex has been followed by departmental reviews to ensure the decision is respected in all areas.

But Chretien appeared to scotch the suggestion that broad changes to federal laws are imminent.

In his letter, Exner asked the government to clarify its intentions.

Exner also noted a justice department poll released in late January seems to support his argument. The poll showed 71 percent of Canadians believe financial and social benefits should be extended not only to same-sex couples, but to people in any relationship of economic dependency.

The Catholic Church, which has 13 million nominal members in Canada, teaches that homosexual sex, though not a homosexual inclination, is a grave sin.

A justice department official said it would have no comment on Exner’s letter until it was studied. Officials in the prime minister’s office were not available for comment.

DEA END TODD