The same-sex marriage issue in Canada has caught the eye of one of the most influential players on the U.S. Christian Right: Focus on the Family, led by Dr. James Dobson.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because he's the same guy who recently took a run at Spongebob Squarepants.

Incidentally, he "sets the record straight" (so to speak) on that controversy here.

An excerpt from the Globe story:

His daily radio broadcasts usually centre on God's will and the everyday hurdles of life, from disciplining strong-willed children to caring for neglected husbands.

But this week, in an uncommon call to action, the influential American founder of Focus on the Family urged Canadians to join the battle against the federal government's plan to legalize same-sex marriage.

"I ask for your supporters and listeners to let you know that they're standing with you, that they're praying for you and that they're going to contribute to make it possible for you to fight this battle," James Dobson said on a broadcast recorded in California. "I know you've got a lot of support there and I just pray that it will be very evident as you get farther into this struggle."

Dr. Dobson's southern drawl, which is translated into 25 languages and heard by more than 200 million listeners in 164 countries, reaches Canadians' ears on stations with names like Joy 1250, Praise FM and Alive 99.5.

His is no ordinary media ministry. While Focus on the Family is a tip-dispensing, family-rights organization that claims to cure homosexuals, it is also the very powerful voice of the U.S. Christian right.

Many credit Dr. Dobson as one of the main forces behind U.S. President George W. Bush's election to a second term and a key architect in the passage of gay-marriage bans in 11 states, including left-leaning Oregon.