Canada opposition sets bill to defeat gay marriage ( 2003-09-19 09:26) (Agencies)
The opposition in the Canadian Parliament renewed
its attack on gay marriage on Thursday with the introduction of legislation to
cement a heterosexual-only definition of matrimony while allowing provinces to
provide for same-sex civil unions.
Pro-gay marriage proponents (back) try to
shout down a demonstration of several hundred from religious groups
protesting against gay marriage outside the British Columbia Supreme Court
in Vancouver Aug. 16, 2003. [Reuters]
The
move by the Canadian Alliance comes two days after its motion to reaffirm
marriage as solely the union between a man and a woman was narrowly defeated in
a deeply divided House of Commons.
The proposed new legislation -- framed by the Alliance as a compromise --
would run contrary to the Liberal government's plans to legalize same-sex
marriage, but the Alliance believes the bill could succeed, given that more than
50 Liberals voted in support of their motion on Tuesday.
"Based on that vote, my conclusion is the Liberals do not have a majority to
redefine marriage in this country," Alliance leader Stephen Harper told Reuters.
The issue has been a political hot potato since June, when an Ontario court
overthrew the heterosexual-only definition of marriage as unconstitutional.
Ottawa decided not to appeal the ruling and another by a British Columbia court,
and drafted a bill allowing same-sex marriages across the country.
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon slammed the Alliance move as "a way to try to
short-circuit the process that we've put in place."
The furor over gay marriage has promised to become a key issue in the
election that is expected to be called next spring after Prime Minister Jean
Chretien steps down in February.
Polls show the man likely to succeed him, former Finance Minister Paul
Martin, should win another parliamentary majority, but Liberal legislators say
the controversy could hurt them, particularly among older and rural voters.
Martin left the door open on Thursday to changing the government's draft
bill, but he said he backed its approach.
"When you are dealing with profound social change, the kind that we're
talking about here, I think Canadians are entitled to see that debate in
Parliament and Canadians are entitled to participate in that debate themselves.
There will be a lot of options put on the table at that time (and) we will have
to see," Martin told reporters in Montreal.
Liberal back bench MPs stand in the House
of Commons and vote for a Canadian Alliance motion to define marriage, in
Ottawa September 16, 2003. The motion to define marriage was defeated by a
vote of 137-132. [Reuters]
At first blush, the Alliance's bill that was introduced on Thursday appears
similar to the motion that was voted down, 137-132, on Tuesday night.
The core of the bill states: "Marriage is the lawful union of one man and one
woman to the exclusion of all others."
But it also allows for gay civil unions to be recognized by the provinces,
which the bill says have the constitutional jurisdiction to provide "appropriate
legal recognition to relationships other than marriage."
Same-sex civil unions are legal in the U.S. state of Vermont, for example,
though Martin ruled out anything that is not identical for heterosexuals and
homosexuals.
Harper said it would be the first formally legislated definition of marriage
by Parliament. Previous formulations have been in nonbinding motions or
preambles to other laws.
Bills that are not introduced by the government have a much harder time
passing, and Harper also recognized that Parliament might be adjourned as early
as the Liberal leadership convention in mid-November.
"We may not have a vote before Parliament's out but this is telling the
public what we would do if we were elected government," he
said.
