Campus Christian groups say that the recent passage of Bill C-250 by parliament won’t cramp their style, despite the uproar over the bill.
Bill C-250 was passed by 141 votes in favour to 110 against last Friday afternoon. The bill, introduced to the house by NDP MP Svend Robinson, amended existing hate-crime legislation to include sexual orientation as a basis for protection.
This seemingly simple bill generated outcry from some Christian groups who said that the bill would effectively make the Bible a piece of hate-literature, and that Christian groups would be prevented from speaking frankly about their views on homosexuality and especially same-sex marriage.
Full-page advertisements appeared last week in the Globe and Mail and the National Post asking MP’s to defeat the bill. The ads were purchased by Canada Christian College as part of its “Millions for Marriage” campaign. The ad said that bill C-250 “could make the Bible illegal.”
Campus Christian groups don’t seem to buy that line.
“This won’t affect our activities,” said Francesca Reyes of Youth for Christ at U of T. Reyes declined to talk about the actual bill, saying “it’s not something we’ve had the opportunity to discuss as a group. Our group accepts anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
“I thought hate crimes legislation covered sexual orientation already.”
