Madam Speaker, I thank the House for the opportunity to speak at report stage of Bill C-33, a bill that was introduced in this House scant hours ago and is being railroaded through because of some concern by the Liberal government that Canadians may find out the facts about this bill. It is afraid that the dissent within its own party may grow as Canadians realize there is absolutely no need for Bill C-33, that the opposition to it is significant and growing.
Members opposite have spoken in support of the bill but they have omitted a very significant factor in their speeches by saying that all good Canadians should support this bill and that all members in the House should support it. They have ignored the public that is speaking out in opposition to Bill C-33.
I want to let the House know what is happening in the real world that is Canada. My office has received hundreds of communications in the past few days since Bill C-33 was introduced in the House. The ratio is about 200:1 in opposition. Of course that does not matter to the Liberals. They have to railroad it through. They had better do it quick. If there is that kind of opposition building,
we certainly do not want the opposition to gain momentum. We want to squelch this opposition, nip it in the bud. We will railroad the piece of legislation through.
On my answering machine over the weekend the calls were unanimous in their request that I as their member of Parliament oppose Bill C-33. There was not one call received suggesting I support Bill C-33.
People have said to me please vote against Bill C-33. Prior to that, they asked me to vote against Bill C-41. They opposed that because of the undefined phrase sexual orientation included in the bill.
I was chatting with another member of Parliament who said his office was receiving 15 phone calls every 10 minutes. His staff members did not have time to eat yesterday. They were being deluged with calls, 90 per cent of which were asking their member to oppose Bill C-33.
To the members opposite it does not matter. They are on a mission that they want to succeed. They have made some statements, some claims that this legislation is necessary.
Even if Canadians are strongly opposing it and the opposition is increasing, it does not matter. That is all the more requirement that they move with haste and make sure the bill is passed before the opposition can increase.
Members opposite say they have no agenda other than the prevention of discrimination against the gay and lesbian element of society. They say "that's it, we do not want to see anything happen beyond the primary principle. This does not mean there will be spousal benefits for gays and lesbians. It does not mean that we will give them adoption rights. We are not expanding the term sexual orientation to include currently illegal activities. We would never do that. Why don't you get your head on straight? Why would you even suggest such a thing?"
We are debating Group No. 1 of the amendments to the bill. These amendments clarify those issues. They would reinforce what the members opposite are saying. We would think members opposite would be clamouring, saying "that is a good idea, we want to support those amendments, that reinforces what we on our side of the House have been saying".
They do not do that. By not agreeing with the amendments put forward to this bill they are increasing the suspicion of Canadians. I will get more calls in my office. I will see more opposition to this piece of legislation and other pieces of legislation like it that will follow.
People are saying they cannot trust the Liberals. We could not trust them on the GST. Their word did not mean anything. Why should we trust them on this bill? Why should we trust them when they say this is not a stepping stone to spousal benefits for same sex couples? Why should we believe them when they say this will not provide same sex couples with the right to adopt children? They do not tell us the truth. They just play it by ear. They kind of go along and make it up as they go. Whatever seems convenient to the lobby group that last talked to them is what they will try to put forward in legislation
I was on a talk show with a Liberal MP, the member for Saskatoon-Dundurn. Several callers were concerned about the infringement this legislation might create on religious freedom. The member for Saskatoon-Dundurn said: "I am a good Catholic. This does not have any impact whatsoever on religious freedom. That is a red herring".
If that is true, why do the Liberal members not support the amendments that would protect religious freedom? One would think they would be clamouring for it. One would think they would be jumping up in their seats and saying they support these amendments, these are good amendments, but they do not.
We are left to ask why they will not support the amendments. What is their agenda? What are their plans? They have not told us in the past. They certainly did not tell us the truth about the GST. They mislead Canadians about the GST.
Canadians are wondering what they will do with this piece of legislation. What is their agenda? What is their mission? What are they trying to accomplish in the long run?
If the claims they are making are true, why do they not say so by supporting the amendments put forward on Bill C-33? Why do they not put their actions where their mouths are? Why do they not stand up and vote for some of these amendment? Where is their courage?
I am tired of these members saying it does not mean all these things and yet they will not support the amendments. That is fundamentally wrong and it brings dishonour to the House. I am very disappointed in members opposite who will not support amendments that clarify the very points they have been trying to make. That is intellectually dishonest and wrong. It brings disrepute on the House of Commons.
The Liberals say the purpose of Bill C-33 is to prevent discrimination against gays and lesbians. Reform opposes discrimination against all Canadians. I do not see that discrimination is epidemic
in Canada. Maybe I have been missing something. Maybe the member for Saskatoon-Dundurn knows something I do not and that is why he is not listening to the hundreds of calls he is receiving in his office and opposing this bill.
I have not not been reading in the papers that discrimination is epidemic among the gay and lesbian community. However, even if it were we have laws in place that can be enforced. Even if someone discriminates against a gay or lesbian we have something called the charter of rights. Section 15(1) of the charter applies to all Canadians except gays and lesbians? No, that is not what it states. The charter applies to all Canadians. Everyone who is a Canadian is covered under the charter: "Every individual is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination".
Angus Reid did a poll of Canadians which said right now the charter of rights reads that every individual is equal before the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination. The question was "do you believe additional legislation is required to protect the gay and lesbian group in society?"
If Canadians knew this was present in the charter of rights and freedoms 90 per cent of Canadians would oppose Bill C-33. They would categorically say it was not required.
I close by reading a letter I have written to those who have inquired about my position on this bill. This will also clarify the record for the House.
I am opposed to the bill for the following reasons:
I support the equality of all Canadians regardless of race, language, culture, religion, gender or sexual orientation, not because of these defining characteristics.
This is also Reform's position.
I believe all Canadians have ample protection against discrimination with the laws that are already in place.
The term sexual orientation is currently undefined which opens the door for practitioners of deviant sexual practices (such as pedophiles) to claim legal protection for these acts.
Many legal experts suggest this measure will-