OTTAWA, June 17, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The back and forth in Parliament over the same-sex ‘marriage’ Bill C-38 has even MPs confused. The MPs are also not helped by media reports which do little to portray anything but the official Liberal Party line on the situation. While mainstream media indicate that the same-sex ‘marriage’ legislation will be delayed till the Fall, highly placed Liberal sources inform LifeSiteNews.com that the bill is likely to be passed next Wednesday or Thursday.
The information confirms previous reports LifeSiteNews.com had received from Liberal sources suggesting that the NDP had agreed on cooperation with the Liberals on condition that Bill C-38 be passed before the summer recess. Senior parliamentary sources have confirmed that the NDP’s main concern is more the gay ‘marriage’ bill rather than the budget.
Media reports are paintingÂa supposed“deal” to delay final vote on C-38 in exchange for speedy passage of the budget as a Conservative move. However, both Liberal and Conservative sources have confirmed that the delay deal was actually broached by the Liberals to appease the 30 or so backbench Liberals who support traditional marriage. Highly placed Conservatives tell LifeSiteNews.com that, contrary toÂthe media reports and the belief of some MPs,Âthere is actually no ‘deal’ so the budget bill will face delays.
Media manipulation is a key Liberal strategy. Liberal spokesman Scott Reid stayed on message denying any deals would be madeÂregarding C-38. Furthermore, Prime Minister Paul Martin’s media talking points this morning read “How long it takes us to get it through is really up to Mr. Harper. . . . Mr. Harper has said the judiciary should not decide these things, it should be Parliament. Well, he has his chance. And let Parliament decide.”
Brian Rushfeldt of Canada Family Action Coalition told LifeSiteNews.com “I’ve had great concern hearing Paul Martin making a statement claiming this is not going to get passed because of Harper and the Conservatives. The fact that Paul Martin has not been honest even to the point of driving one member out of the party is proof he’s not to be trusted.” Rushfeldt concluded, “The Liberals have sunk to a low where they’ll use any means legal, illegal, ethical not, to force upon Canada their radical agenda.”
Meanwhile the NDP aren’t buying the Liberal line of not being able to stop the Conservatives from delaying C-38. In the House of Commons yesterday NDP MP Libby Davies, one of the most forceful pushers of gay ‘marriage’, accused the Prime Minister of caving in to pro-family Liberals.“The Prime Minister does not have to duck and hide on this one. His responsibility is not to Liberal MPs who want to act like the Conservatives. His responsibility is to human rights,” she said.
Bill C-38 was sent back to the House of Commons from committee yesterday with a minor amendment which while claiming to protect religious freedom will have little real effect. The amendment reads: “For greater certainty, no person or organization shall be deprived of any benefit, or be subject to any obligation or sanction, under any law of the Parliament of Canada solely by reason of their exercise, in respect of marriage between persons of the same sex, of the freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the expression of their beliefs in respect of marriage as the union of a man and woman to the exclusion of all others based on that guaranteed freedom.”
With many Conservative MPs and also pro-family Liberal MPs believing there is a deal to delay the gay ‘marriage’ bill, there is a concern theyÂwill be caught off-guard. At the highest levels the Liberals are keen to pass . Sources indicate Liberal backroom top-gun Tim Murphy is pushing strongly for quick passage of the gay ‘marriage’ bill
Long-time political analyst and pro-family leader Jim Hughes tells LifeSiteNews.com it seems the Liberals are making contradictory deals with the NDP,ÂConservative and their own pro-family backbench MPs.“They have shown they are willing to double-cross in the past, even their own MPs, and now they may feel they have little to lose since they may even welcome an election feeling they could win a majority government,” said Hughes. Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition added, “Nothing surprises me with this crew, I suspect the bill will be rammed through next week.ÂÂAny thing else would be a great surprise.”
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