Christians with MP hit list risk backlash

By Steve Weatherbe

TRADITIONAL Christian lobby groups seeking to unseat liberally-minded MPs, especially Tory ones, risk a backlash from a public already wary of church-state interference.

So warns Trinity Western University political scientist John Redekop, commenting on plans by several Christian or pro-life groups to unseat a trio of Conservative MPs at their next nomination meeting who voted for same-sex marriage during the last parliament.

"For any religious group, be it Sikh or evangelical, to make a specific, organized effort in a riding, will be counter-productive and could reflect negatively on the group," said Redekop. "Moreover, it could threaten their tax exempt status with Revenue Canada."

Charles McVety, president of Toronto's Canada Christian College, Brian Rushfeldt of the Calgary-based Canadian Family Action Coalition, and Jim Hughes of the Campaign Life Coalition have all confirmed their organizations will be trying to nominate candidates everywhere and in all parties who supported traditional family values, but especially nominees to replace three Tory MPs who voted for same sex-marriage.

"We've been looking at this for some time," Rushfeldt told CC.com. "We definitely believe that riding association members should look at replacing anyone who didn't vote for marriage as being about one man and one woman."

CFAC was part of the broader Defend Marriage group that attempted during the last election to direct like-minded voters to candidates on the basis of their position on same-sex marriage. Also in the campaign were the Catholic Civil Rights League, REAL Women of Canada and Campaign Life.

Rushfeldt thinks the campaign has some effect: four pro-family MPs lost their seats, while 27 pro-same-sex MPs lost theirs.

"We believe same-sex marriage is a good measuring stick for conservative values. If Conservatives won't defend marriage as between one man and one woman, we do question whether they are conservatives," he said.

The three Tory MPs who voted for same-sex marriage were B.C.'s James Moore, Nova Scotian Gerald Keddy and, in Rushfeldt's own front yard, Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice of Calgary.

Rushfeldt said an ad hoc group independent of his organization was already planning to replace Prentice, who is a practising Presbyterian, when he comes up for re-nomination.

The issue has arisen for the first time because the sudden calling of the recent election, the first to follow the same-sex vote in Parliament, did not give much time for nomination meetings. The Conservative party consequently allowed existing MPs to run without re-nomination.

Unless another surprise election is called, this time by Conservative PM Stephen Harper, there will be time for organized nomination efforts.

Nomination campaigns, particularly in urban ridings and for the dominant party in safe seats, are frequently subject to divisive and fractious campaigns characterized by massive recruitments of new members, often drawn from minority ethnic groups.

When people from outside the party come in at the last minute, Redekop said, "they lack credibility, and even moreso if they aren't local."

A Christian organization based in Toronto or Calgary trying to unseat a local MP or candidate would suffer from a doubly negative impact that would not only defeat their purpose but taint their reputation, he added, especially with the news media so sensitive to a perceived, untoward evangelical influence in the Tory party.

But Rushfeldt disagreed, arguing that those who see Christian involvement as improper are wrong in principle. "They might as well say Muslims or Hindus or atheists shouldn't be involved. If 4,000 people attend a nomination meeting who want a different person, that's democracy."

Tactically, nomination meetings are especially vulnerable to outside campaigns because riding association memberships often dwindle between elections to a few hundred, meaning the next MP can be chosen, in effect, by a few hundred new members.

That is why Rushfeldt said he expects opponents of the traditional Christian view of family may attempt to pack some nomination meetings with their supporters. "Good for them, it's what democracy is all about," he said.

Redekop said he agrees in principal, but not in practice. "Such action is fully legitimate but it may not be prudent." If the effort to replace MPs come from local members, or if it is framed in a positive way -- supporting the new person rather than unseating the incumbent -- it could avoid some of the backlash.

Not all Christians view same-sex marriage as the gold standard of Christian values. Prentice, who could not be reached for comment, has defended his position on human rights grounds.

So has Liberal MP Karen Redman of Kitchener, who told CC.com, "I've been married for 34 years and have four children, so I believe in marriage." A Presbyterian like Prentice, she said she sees same-sex marriage as "an issue of minority rights. They deserve equal rights."

She said she does not believe same-sex marriage will pose a threat to traditional marriage.

Related stories:

Tory MPs may be challenged for spots
Religious conservatives will target MPs they consider weak on gay marriage issue
CanWest News Service, May 25

June 1/2006