Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in regard to same sex marriage. The petitioners would like to remind the House that on June 10 the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the definition of marriage was unconstitutional pursuant to the equality provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The petitioners also remind the House, however, that the federal government can invoke the notwithstanding clause to override that decision. The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to invoke the notwithstanding clause, thereby retaining the traditional definition of marriage as being the legal union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.
In the House of Commons on October 9th, 2003. See this statement in context.