Scanning of Text — comparison between ASCII text and JPG files produced

 

Scanning Text — comparison between ASCII text and JPG files produced OCR accuracy — scanning at 300 dpi resolution Pope has say on marriage but govt has final word - PMO ERIC BEAUCHESNE CanWest News Service OTTAWA A spokesperson for Prime Minister Paul Martin respectfullyrebuffed Sat- urday the latest criticism by Pope John Paul U of the Liberal government's plan to introduce legislation supporting same-sex marriage. "The government respects and is ful- ly aware of the Pope's position on the matter of same-sex marriage and any decision on that issue will be taken by the Parliament of Canada," Melanie Gruer, Martin's spokeswoman, said when informed of the Pope's criticism during a meeting with Canada's new ambassador to the Vatican. See MARRIAGE / AIO A1 0 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2004 CONTINUED FROM PAGE Law risks 'false understanding,' Pope says MARRIAGE • Continued from Al Gruer, however, added that she did not knowwhat, if any, impact the Pope's crit- icism might have on individual MPs, who will have to vote on legislation the Lib- erals have promised to introduce. The government has asked the Supreme Court of Canada to vet its draft legislation, which is opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, as well as by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and many other MPs. Donald Smith, Canada's new ambas- sadortotheVatican, metthepontiff Sat- urday. Pope John Paul used the meeting to reiterate the church's opposition to le- galizing same-sex marriage. "The institution of marriage necessar- ily entails the complementarity of hus- bands and wives who participate in God's creative activity through the rais- ing of children," the Pope reportedly said. "Spouses thereby ensure the survival of society and culture, and rightly de- serve specific and categorical legal recog- nition by the state." HewamedSmiththatsame-sexunions create a "false understanding" of the in- stitution of marriage. "Any attempts to change the meaning of the word 'spouse' contradicts right rea- son: legal guarantees, analogous to those granted to marriage, cannot be applied to unions between persons of the same A1 EDMONTON JOURNAL sex without creating a false under- standing of the nature of marriage." The criticism is only the latest of sev- eral attempts by the Roman Catholic Church to deter Ottawa from allowing same-sex marriages. In June, Ottawa's Roman Catholic archbishop had a private phone con- versationwithPrimeMinisterPaulMar- tin, a Catholic, about the conflict be- tween his religion and his political stand on same-sex marriage and abortion. Archbishop Marcel Gervais, who the archdiocese says is the prime minister's personal pastor, followed up on the phone call with a letter to Martin. Gervais has criticized former prime minister Jean Chretien, also a Catholic, and other former cabinet ministers over their support for same-sex marriages and abortion. The archbishop, whowasvisitingwith familyinLondon, 0nt,wasnotavailable for comment Saturday. While three provinces — Quebec, On- tarioandBritishColumbia—alreadyal- low same-sex marriage, Canada's rela- tions with the Vatican have been strained over Ottawa's plan to legalize same-sex unions. Legibility of the corresponding JPG file at 300 dpi resolution  (678 kB) is far better than necessary.

__________________
Posted 2004 09 06