Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to present in the House this afternoon petitions from several hundred individuals from across Canada. There are a number from Quebec, New Brunswick and different provinces and territories across the country.
The petitioners are simply asking that there be a reopening of the definition of marriage. They make the point that marriage is, in their view, the permanent union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. Marriage is a natural institution and not merely a bundle of rights and benefits subject to the equality provisions of section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The petitioners ask that this be revisited so that we redefine marriage as the union between one man and one woman to the betterment and well-being of Canadian society.
They call for that to be reopened, to repeal and to amend the Marriage for Civil Purposes Act in order to promote and defend marriage as the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.