Ok, so we know that if it came to vote, chances are slim to none that reversing the same sex marriage legislation will get overturned. But I must point a couple of things out.
1) On the first day of policy announcements last December during the election run, Stephen Harper came right out and announced that this motion would come up. So he is keeping another one of the promises that he made during the election run.
2) This motion is not to reverse the decision. This motion that is being debated is to decide whether or not to reopen the decision via a motion and debate.
3) This time around, their may actually be a free vote to determine if the issue should be reopened, but I am betting dollars to donuts that if it is reopened Stephane Dion whips his caucus to vote against redefining the term.
and most importantly,
4) The Supreme Court ruled that all the rights and priviledges that married couples have are to be extended to same sex couples. But, and this is a big but, the term marriage and how it is to be defined was returned to the House of Commons to decide on. The Supreme Court knows that a decision like this should be left up to the people via a free vote by their MPs. (or possibly via a referendum/plebiscite which would be my preference)
I think when such a divisive issue is presented before the populace, that even our “electoral” system of representation does not go far enough to present an accurate representation of what the laws of the land should be. I say this because despite what the left leaning parties say, the term marriage being removed from same sex unions would make the pill much easier to swallow for millions of Canadians.
I have to ask. After doing everything within their power to stand out and be different from the mainstream of society, why does the gay community choose this word to rejoin the populace on? Can a suitable term not be found? As I have often advocated for a term like “parriage” (or pairage) to be used. It would be close enough to signify the relationship and far enough to satisfy those who will not recognize the marriage due to religious beliefs, even if the state does.