Ottawa to revisit
same-sex marriage
Gloria Galloway,
globeandmail.com from the Web, December 3, 2006
MONTREAL, Dec. 2 --
Parliamentarians will be asked this week if marriage should be redefined to
exclude same-sex couples.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised during the last election campaign that
the issue would be re-opened if his party won — and the Conservatives have said
the matter would be dealt with before Christmas.
After months of speculation, the vote will likely take place on Wednesday.
But Mr. Harper also said he would merely ask the House if it wished to revisit
same-sex marriage. The motion, as introduced in the notice paper on
Friday, actually goes directly to restoring the traditional definition of
marriage as one man and one woman.
It asks: “that this House call on the government to introduce legislation
to restore the traditional definition of marriage without affecting civil unions
and while respecting existing same-sex marriages.”
A vote on whether Parliament wanted to reopen the divisive issue of same-sex
marriage was expected to go down to easy defeat. Many MPs who opposed the
homosexual unions said they had no interest in returning to the debate.
But, if asked directly whether they want to end same-sex marriage, those who
fundamentally disagree with the expanded definition may find it more difficult
to vote no.
Charles McVety, one of the leaders of the drive to end marriages between gays
and lesbians, said today that his side is ready for the government to act.
“We have made our case and we have contacted the Members of Parliament and we
hope they will reopen the debate and study the impact [of same-sex marriage] on
society,” said Dr. McVety, who has the ear of the Conservatives.
Asked about the decision to go directly to a vote on rescinding the new
definition that was brought in under the previous Liberal government, Dr. McVety
said “the consensus, at the end of the day, was to restore the traditional
definition of marriage or have no motion at all.”
Regardless of how the vote turns out, he said, his group expects Parliament to
study the impact of same-sex marriage on religion “and we have every indication
they will do that.”
Laurie Aaron, a spokesman for Canadians for Equal Marriage, said he is looking
forward to having the issue settled. His group has argued that any delay was
being used to buy time for opponents of same-sex marriage to lobby government to
their side.
“I think Canadians are overwhelmingly against reopening this divisive debate,”
said Mr. Aaron, adding that this will be the sixth time that Parliament has
voted on the matter.
“I think after six votes in a row of Canadians affirming equal marriage, we've
had enough.”
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