Mr. Speaker, the hon. member who has just taken his seat frequently asked why we are here. He went on to refer to the comments of the Deputy Prime Minister six years ago. What he failed to point out was a series of court decisions that dealt with the issue of marriage in seven provinces and one territory, all of which, based on the charter, said that it was discriminatory to deny the institution of marriage to same sex couples.
First, is the member aware of that cause for the change? Second, is he aware of the fact that at the present time, thanks to these court decisions, the vast majority of Canadians already live in jurisdictions where same sex marriages are legal. Is he aware of those two facts, and if so, why did he not tell the House when he was asking why we are here?
The government is attempting to have a uniform policy across the country so there is no difference between the provinces. I am sure he is well aware of that but if he is not, perhaps he would like to inform the House.