Gay Marriage In Canada Preserved!

[bjarvis]

The House of Commons in the federal Parliament of Canada voted at 3:25 PM this afternoon on a resolution whether to revisit the issue of gay marriage. It would not have affected marriage per se, but could have opened the door to a renewed long & painful debate.

The vote was 175 to 123 against re-opening discussion. Gay marriage as an issue for Parliament is closed.

PS. Hmm... seven abstentions. I wonder who...

Comments

[gingy.livejournal.com]

I'll bet you that priest from Quebec abstained.

[madknits.livejournal.com]

Oh, Canada!

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Well, that's good. I had hoped (or naively wished) that the vote would be more lopsided than that, but it's enough to be conclusive.

3 times the charm

[trawnapanda.livejournal.com]

nine abstentions, actually, plus the speaker. there are 308 seats in the house.

the numbers in the analyses I've seen aren't completely consistent, but the latest ones (where they've had more time to check) are 12 tories voting against the party (ie pro gay marriage) and 14 liberals voting against marriage = pro hetero-only definition. That includes Peter Mackay (foreign affairs) against, and (whozit) the former Lib cabinet minister, who quit cabinet to vote against Bill C38 last time, today voted against the motion.

He said what I was reading again and again in the comments of newspaper columns -- this has been decided, its time to move on. and even the PM said this afternoon that he didn't see re-opening the issue now. There have been marriages for over 3 years now, over 12,000 of them, and the sun coming up in the east bang on time every day since has really helped our cause, methinks.

the Equal Marriage website pointed out that there have now been three parliamentary debates, in three separate parliaments, with three prime ministers, on the same question. in September 2003, motion for 'traditional' marriages (from the then leader of the opposition, Steven Harper) was defeated 137-132. Then in June 2005, bill C38 passed 158-133. And now, the motion to re-visit was defeated 175-123. The majorities are growing. Third time lucky, I hope.

[cubmike74.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was voted down. However I think it was a slimy move by Stephen Harper. In effect he satisfied his base (religeous right), without having to open an issue that he knew he couldn't win, or shouldn't re-open.
The actions of a coward.