Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Dec. 12th, 2006

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

I want to add the words “provided they are also recognized as legal marriages in Canada”.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Is that a problem with the mover?

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

The essence being that if a marriage is recognized—

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

It's not necessary, you're right, Jim.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

—somewhere else, but it wouldn't be recognized—

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I mean, whether he adds those words in or he doesn't, does it really make a difference?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Mr. Siksay.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Chair, I have to agree with Mr. Karygiannis. I don't think that the amendment adds anything to the motion.

The purpose of the motion is to ensure that gay and lesbian marriages are treated in exactly the same way as heterosexual marriages, that legal marriages are treated like legal marriages. We have the mechanisms. We all understand what we're talking about when we're talking about legal marriages. I don't think Mr. Komarnicki's amendment adds anything at all to the motion, and I wouldn't support it in that case.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Are you withdrawing the amendment, Mr. Komarnicki?

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

No, I'll move the amendment. We can vote on it.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

This thing was settled in the House of Commons.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Mr. Komarnicki has moved his amendment.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

On a point of order, Chair, could I move that we freeze the clock at 11:29?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Yes, I think that's—

[A voice]

Well, we're going to deal with this now.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

We're going to deal with it in the next moment.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

The amendment is that we take out the words “immediately”—

[A voice]

No, no.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay, the amendment is to the fourth paragraph, after the word “recognize”, to put in “provided they are recognized as legal marriages in Canada”.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Can you read the fourth paragraph the way that Mr. Komarnicki wants to have it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration calls on the Minister to immediately rescind the CIC Interim Policy and recognize legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples performed in jurisdictions outside Canada for purposes of immigration in exactly the same way as the legal marriages of heterosexual couples, provided that they are recognized as legal marriages in Canada.

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Now, is it reasonable to go to the main motion?

I call the main motion.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Before you leave, I want to draw attention to the fact that our analyst here won't be with us when we come back in January, until she becomes a mom. She's going to be away for a while. It will probably be close to a year, I guess, Jennifer. We want to wish Jennifer well in her new role as a mom coming up.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.