Mr. Speaker, first, to set the record straight I would point out that each and every member of the New Democrat caucus in the House today will oppose this motion. This is an issue of fundamental human rights as our leader Jack Layton has said.
My colleague has referred to the member for Churchill. The member for Churchill has expressed concern around the change in definition, but I want to be very clear that the member for Churchill will not in any way be supporting a motion that calls on Parliament to override the most basic and fundamental rights in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. She will not vote for that, nor will any member of this caucus.
Not only have the courts spoken, the House of Commons justice committee has spoken. A motion which I proposed, calling on Parliament to accept the definition of marriage as the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled was supported by the justice committee. It is the courts, it is the justice committee and today I hope Parliament, by a majority, will reaffirm as well our commitment to equality, to religious freedom and most important, in the context of today's motion, to the Charter of Rights itself.