TORONTO, Jan. 11, 2006 The Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) today urged Canadians to vote on January 23, using their own discernment to determine the best candidate and party.
Noting that voter participation has been declining steadily over the past 30 years, with only about 60 per cent of those eligible voting in 2004, League President Philip Horgan said that Canadians need to take their franchise more seriously if they want to make a difference in public life.
Throughout the campaign, the League has provided non-partisan voter information on its website, including downloadable articles integrating the official documents of the Church about the duties of the Catholic voter and the Catholic politician. As a member of the Defend Marriage coalition, the League participated in a pamphlet encouraging people to get involved in the democratic process and briefly summarizing the positions of the major parties on some key moral issues.
The League has members who are active in political parties, and others who take relatively little interest in political matters, said Mr. Horgan. Our educational materials address these varied levels of interest, in keeping with our mandate to enrich public debate with Church teaching.
About CCRL
Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) assists in creating conditions within which Catholic teachings can be better understood, cooperates with other organizations in defending civil rights in Canada, and opposes defamation and discrimination against Catholics on the basis of their beliefs. CCRL was founded in 1985 as an independent lay organization. The Catholic Civil Rights League is a Canadian non-profit organization entirely supported by the generosity of its members.
For further information: Joanne McGarry, Executive Director, 416-466-8244; joanne.mcgarry@ccrl.ca.