Mr. Speaker, I am happy to speak to the bill. This country has a long and enviable history of commitment to human rights, dignity and equal opportunity. This is not rhetoric; it is a reality of which every Canadian can be very proud.
The lives of gay and lesbian Canadians and the core values all Canadians hold dear are at stake if we continue to allow discrimination to exclude any group of Canadians. Bill C-23 reflects the Government of Canada's commitment to ensure that federal policies, social programs and laws reflect societal values and realities. This responsible, measured and practical legislation recognizes the indisputable fact that same sex common law couples in Canada are entitled to fair and equal treatment under the law.
In recognition of this reality, Bill C-23 will amend all relevant statutes to extend to same sex couples the same benefits and obligations that are available to common law opposite sex partners. This legislation is the most responsible way to meet our constitutional obligations. It is also in keeping with the majority opinion in Canada. Public polling consistently finds that Canadians endorse the position that same sex partners should be accorded the same legal treatment as opposite sex common law couples.
In June 1999 Angus Reid found that 63% of Canadians believed that same sex couples should be entitled to the same benefits and obligations as unmarried common law couples. In another survey conducted a year earlier, 84% of Canadians agreed that same sex couples should be protected from discrimination. These numbers tell us that Canadians are far ahead of their elected representatives in recognizing the moral and legal necessity of amending federal laws.
As others have already pointed out, hundreds of businesses across the country already extend same sex benefits to their employees as does the federal government. Over 200 leading businesses in Canada, such as Bell Canada, Sears, IBM, the Toronto-Dominion Bank, the Bank of Montreal, Air Canada and Canadian Airlines, all consider it good policy to extend benefits to the same sex partners of their employees and they have done so for years. So too have 30 municipalities, 35 universities, countless hospitals, libraries and community and social service organizations.
Likewise, all but three provinces provide social benefits to same sex and opposite sex common law couples in their workforces. The three largest provinces, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, have recently introduced or have already implemented the necessary changes to bring their laws and policies and practices into line with today's social reality.
Canadians, courts and companies have acted to bring fairness to all citizens. Members of parliament must do the same. We have an opportunity to bring federal laws into line with Canadian values as reflected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and interpreted by the supreme court. We have an obligation to correct the shortcomings in our statutes, a duty to ensure they are constitutional and a responsibility to ensure fairness for all Canadians.
Much has been said in this House and during this debate about changes to the definition of marriage. Let me be very clear. There will be no change in the definition of marriage. A motion passed in this very House last year confirmed that marriage is the union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others. This will not change.
Importantly, the changes we are bringing forward confer benefits and obligations on same sex couples. For example, currently in married and common law relationships, the combined income of the man and woman are used to determine eligibility for the GST-HST credit. Same sex partners currently apply for the credit as unrelated individuals and perhaps in some instances even gain financially by doing so. In the interest of fairness, Bill C-23 will impose the same obligations on same sex partners as those of opposite sex common law partners.
Clearly, this is thoughtful, responsible legislation. It recognizes and reconciles our legal and moral obligations to ensure fairness and equality for all Canadians. It outlines obligations and benefits. Perhaps most important, Bill C-23 makes it clear that Canadians will no longer tolerate discrimination on any ground, including sexual orientation. It reaffirms our profound commitment to fairness and justice. This bill is truly a cause for celebration.
At the beginning of the 21st century all Canadians can put behind them the idea that gay and lesbian Canadians are less than equal citizens. With the passage of this legislation we can write a new chapter in the evolving story of this great nation, a story of equality and respect for all which our children and grandchildren will be proud to retell.
Generations of Canadians have worked hard to build a country where people of different beliefs, religions and race and ways of viewing the world can coexist and thrive together. Men and women across the country in communities from Gander to Victoria to Resolute Bay have come to recognize our diversity as a source of national strength, inspiration and pride. This legislation reflects those values and I hope all hon. members will support the bill.