Madam Speaker, the short title of Bill C-23 is the modernization of benefits and obligations act. This bill will affect 68 different federal statutes and 20 different departments and agencies to extend benefits to same sex couples on the same basis as opposite sex common law or married couples.
The bill states in the preamble that it is intended to reflect values of tolerance, respect, equality with respect to the benefits and obligations of all couples. The bill is the government's poorly thought out quick fix approach to an issue which requires a much more thoughtful and comprehensive approach in order to realize the values it says it is intending to reflect.
I will primarily be examining two aspects of the bill that make it so weak in its current form that no thinking person could possibly support the bill. I will also suggest some ways to improve the bill.
Let me begin by reminding the House of a particular motion that was debated and passed in the House by a four to one margin just a few short months ago in June 1999. That motion stated that in the opinion of this House it is necessary, in light of public debate around court decisions, to state that marriage is and should remain the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and that parliament will take all necessary steps within the jurisdiction of parliament—