Archbishop Daniel Bohan

Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan said government leaders need to take "skilful action" to guarantee freedom of conscience of citizens.

Bohan was reacting to a Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruling that stated proposed legislation allowing marriage commissioners to refuse to marry same-sex couples is discriminatory and does not meet the requirements of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The issue arose when a marriage commissioner refused to marry a same-sex couple because it was contrary to his Baptist faith.

Bohan issued a pastoral letter Jan. 16 saying, "of supreme importance is the necessity of guaranteeing a Canadian's freedom to act in accord with their conscience."

"The threat of loss of one's job and employment certainly raises the spectre of coercion upon a person if it is demanded of that person that he or she do something that they believe to be wrong in order to keep their livelihood," he wrote.