Harper questions 'legitimacy' of same-sex bill as vote = nears

Last Updated Tue, 28 Jun 2005 09:35:36 EDT=20

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says the government's = same-sex=20 legislation will make it through the House of Commons only because = of=20 support from the Bloc Qu=E9b=E9cois, and that, says Harper, means = the=20 legislation "lacks legitimacy."=20

INDEPTH: Same-sex=20 Rights

Stephen=20 Harper

A vote on the bill is expected Tuesday evening.=20

BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe immediately pounced on Harper's = remarks,=20 saying his party has as much legitimacy as the Conservatives.

On his way into question period on Monday, Harper told = reporters that=20 the majority of federalist MPs will vote against the bill that = extends the=20 right to marry to gays and lesbians. He warned that the Liberals = will face=20 a backlash from voters outside Quebec over the bill.

"It makes it an issue of Quebec versus Canada. Most Canadians = have a=20 skeptical view of Pequistes breaking up the country," said = Conservative=20 deputy leader Peter MacKay.

Harper, who has spent months wooing voters who oppose same-sex = marriage=20 for religious or cultural reasons, found a new target as MPs = returned to=20 Ottawa for the sole purpose of approving legislation to legalize = same-sex=20 marriage.

Harper branded Bill C-38 the product of an illegitimate union. = "I think=20 because this bill is only being passed with the support of the BQ, = I think=20 it will lack legitimacy with most Canadians. The truth is most = federalist=20 MPs will oppose this legislation," he said.

Barely a month ago Harper was working hand-in-hand with the BQ = to=20 defeat the Liberal budget, in a move that would have brought down = the=20 government.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler pointed out the irony.

"It was all right to seek their support for measures he wanted = and=20 suddenly they're illegitimate when it comes to Bill C-38. I find = that=20 surprising and even somewhat hypocritical," said Cotler.

BQ MP Richard Marceau says equating an issue of equality rights = with=20 Quebec separation is unbelievable.

"I would say to Stephen Harper, 'Stephen take a break you need = one.=20 Forget the barbecues, you need to go home and relax.'"

Justice=20 Minister Irwin Cotler. =

NDP Leader Jack Layton was scathing in his criticism. "What = Harper is=20 saying is not only does he deny rights to gays and lesbians but = also to=20 Quebecers."

Public Works Minister Scott Brison called it "another case of = Stephen=20 Harper trying to divide Canadians and pit one group against = another. For=20 him to imply that somehow federalists are not as supportive of = human=20 rights and equality as separatists is truly offensive."

On Monday evening MPs approved a motion to limit debate on the = same-sex=20 legislation. It means further debate will be restricted to about = eight=20 more hours.

The bill will now probably come up for a vote sometime on = Tuesday.

The Conservatives insist Harper is raising a legitimate issue = with the=20 majority of Canadians living outside Quebec and that he will = continue to=20 appeal to ordinary Canadians opposed to same-sex marriage.

The Conservatives concede they don't have the numbers to block = the=20 same-sex marriage bill in the Commons, but they have tabled a = number of=20 amendments intended to preserve marriage as the exclusive union of = a man=20 and a woman.

Gilles=20 Duceppe

Conservative MP Ken Epp contrasted same-sex marriage to the = civil=20 rights movement of the 1960s in the United States.

"Blacks in the United States," said Epp, "never asked to be = called=20 white. They just wanted the same rights." Epp then went on to say = that=20 women in Canada sought equal rights without demanding to be called = men.=20

"And so I ask the question in this struggle for so-called = equality for=20 same-sex couple, why do they want to use the word that describes=20 heterosexual marriage and has for millennia?"

The bill would legalize same-sex marriage across the country. A = number=20 of court decisions in the past few years have allowed such = marriages to be=20 performed in eight provinces and one territory.

The NDP and Bloc support the bill. The Liberals are allowing = backbench=20 MPs to vote with their consciences, and as many as 34 Liberals may = vote=20 against it.

All but four members of the Conservative caucus are opposed to = the=20 bill.

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