Mr. Speaker, I want to advise the House that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Vancouver East.
I want to start off by thanking the member for Brandon—Souris for his courageous and eloquent remarks in opposition to the motion before the House today.
“Why are they doing this?” That question was asked yesterday by an 11 year old boy, Robbie Barnett-Kemper, in this place at a press conference with the group Canadians for Equal Marriage. Robbie and his sister Hannah have two moms. They have been raised in a loving and nurturing family by Alison Kemper and Joyce Barnett, who have been together since 1984. Alison has said this.
Our lives together have been spent overcoming those who would wish us to be apart or invisible. We are committed to ensuring that our children have as secure and rich a life as possible. Marriage is one more step.
Yesterday their son Robbie asked why the Canadian Alliance was trying to take away that marriage, that marriage that was celebrated with such great joy in June of this year. In answering that question I suppose one could say that the Canadian Alliance members at least have the virtue of consistency because we know that they have voted consistently. On every occasion that the House has been called on to speak out for equality for gay and lesbian people, they have voted against. This is entirely consistent with that position, whether it was on human rights legislation in 1996, hate crimes legislation, legislation recognizing same sex benefits or, as we know, tomorrow voting against legislation that would include sexual orientation in hate propaganda laws in Canada. The Alliance has been consistent.
I particularly want to appeal today, not to my colleagues in the Canadian Alliance because I understand that they do not fundamentally believe in equality based on their voting record so far, to my colleagues in the Liberal Party. As I look around the House, I know there is only one other member here, my friend from Calgary Centre, who was in this House on April 17 of 1985, the day that the Charter of Rights came into force.