Move to Ban All 'Religious' Arbitration in Ontario a Foolish Choice, Says Family Advocate
by Chad Groening
September 21, 2005
(AgapePress) - A Canadian pro-family leader believes the premier of Ontario made a very foolish decision when he said he wants to outlaw all religious arbitration in family law disputes. Recently Premier Dalton McGuinty rejected the demands of Muslim leaders to allow Sharia law to be used to settle family disputes among Islamic communities in the province. But Brian Rushfeldt of the Canada Family Action Coalition contends the objections to Sharia law really have nothing to do with religion.
"A lot of the opposition was not around the fact that it was a religious law, but around the fact that Sharia law -- as has been researched by many, many people -- is very discriminatory against women," the family advocate says.
Rushfeldt says it is unfortunate McGuinty is using the Sharia law problem to call for a ban on other religious arbitration in Ontario. "Premier McGuinty has been very anti-religious in several instances," he notes. "So we believe that he took this opportunity to then say we're going to override all religions who have any kind of tribunal way of reviewing family situations and family problems."
Roman Catholics and Jews are among the religious groups that have used tribunals to settle disputes on a voluntary basis since 1991. Rushfeldt feels McGuinty's response was "very foolish," adding that he is convinced the discriminatory and equality issues associated Sharia law would have been reason enough not to approve of its use.
Chad Groening, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
