04 September 2015, The Tablet

Canadian bishops publish election guide for Catholics


Canadian Bishops have moved to influence the country's federal elections next month by issuing a guide to Catholics on how to vote.

The Commission for Justice and Peace of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued a guide inviting Catholics to vote with discernment. In its 2015 Federal Election Guide, the Commission lists some basic principles from Catholic moral and social teaching to help voters analyze and evaluate public policies and programmes.

The policy document highlights the right to life for the unborn child and an opposition to both euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation. It comes out against capital punishment, and urges Catholics to look for candidates who campaign in favour of reducing the country's dependence on fossil fuels.

While recognising that there are times when “choices may prove very difficult,” the Commission recalls that: “It is a sign of a healthy community when informed and responsible citizens engage in an ongoing dialogue on major social issues with their political leaders.”

The CCCB’s 2015 Federal Election Guide can be found, in English and French, on the Bishops’ Conference website.


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