Mr. Speaker, I am a little confused about the position of this member because he described the retention of the ancient common law definition of marriage as being an assault against fundamental rights. He referenced the Charter of Rights several times.
First, is the member not aware that this House in 1981 voted against the inclusion of the term “sexual orientation” in section 15 of the charter in large part because of concerns that its inclusion could lead to this policy result on the part of the courts?
Second, he spoke at length about the retention of the traditional definition of marriage as being a fundamental assault on rights in Canada, and unless Hansard was mistaken, the hon. member for Brandon—Souris voted for precisely the same motion that is before us today in 1999. How is it then that he could go from supporting what he now regards as a fundamental assault on Canadian rights? I do not understand the sort of schizophrenia that is evident in the member's extreme, shall we say, flexibility.