Mr. Speaker, Bill C-23, the Liberal bill which is before the House, will grant the same spousal benefits to same sex partners as those granted to married couples.
My office has been flooded with letters, e-mails and phone calls from people who strongly oppose this legislation. These are people who understand the importance of building and maintaining strong families.
There are two strongly opposed aspects of the bill. First, that the definition of marriage, which was reconfirmed by the House when a Reform motion was passed just a few months ago as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, is not included in the bill. This is quite a surprise, considering that the Liberal Party defeated a motion recognizing same sex marriages at its convention this past weekend.
Second, my constituents and many others oppose basing eligibility for benefits on whether couples have sex.
The fact that the government has tabled and will pass a bill which shows so little commitment to the family leaves no doubt about the value this government places on marriage and on the family.