Members of The 39th Canadian Parliament and Same-sex Marriage - House of Commons - Conservative Cabinet

Conservative Cabinet

Name 2003 Alliance motion Bill C-38 (2005) Dec 2006 motion to restore Riding
Rona Ambrose n/a No Yes Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB
February 18, 2005: In 2nd reading debate of bill C-38, she stated that the position of the Conservative party is reasonable—enshrining marriage as between a man and a woman, and creating civil unions for other relationships.
John Baird n/a n/a No Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Maxime Bernier n/a n/a Yes Beauce, QC
Jean-Pierre Blackburn n/a n/a Yes Jonquière—Alma, QC
Lawrence Cannon n/a n/a No Pontiac, QC
Tony Clement n/a n/a Yes Parry Sound-Muskoka, ON
May 30, 2006: In an e-mail: "The fact remains that I made a specific commitment during the campaign, & I'm not one to say one thing and do another. I know it's a divisive issue in my riding, but I feel compelled to keep my word."
Stockwell Day Yes No Yes Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
March 24, 2005: While in 2nd reading debate, he said that "marriage is not an absolute right either. I cannot marry my sister, or my brother for that matter." Said the media is not reporting the Supreme Court didn't say the traditional definition was unconstitutional.
May 3, 2005: Made another speech in the House, this time focusing more on the legal aspects of marriage. Said that the Supreme Court of Canada did not require Parliament redefining marriage.
David Emerson n/a Yes No Vancouver—Kingsway, BC
May 31, 2006: CTV News Report: "Candidly, I'm not excited about reopening the issue," Emerson said. "Even in the last election, when I ran as a Liberal, it was not a big issue that I was confronted with at the doorstep.
Diane Finley n/a No Yes Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
April 4, 2005: During 2nd reading debate, she said that opposite sex and same-sex relationships need to be differentiated and thus she would be voting against. Also said the continuation of society would be threatened.
Jim Flaherty n/a n/a Yes Whitby-Oshawa, ON
Stephen Harper Yes No Yes Calgary Southwest, AB
February 16, 2005: During debate, he stated that the PM does not decide or define rights, and that the Prime Minister "does not interpret the Charter of Rights". Believes the Supreme Court didn't answer question #4 as per Martin hoping for an answer that would have supported his position. Harper introduced an amendment which was defeated on April 12, 2005 by 164-132.

September 17, 2003: Comment on the Alliance Motion to reaffirm traditional marriage, which failed 137-132. "They have chosen to make change without social consensus, and in doing so they have articulated a position which I believe is wrong in law, universally insulting, and very dangerous as far as real rights are concerned."
Loyola Hearn Absent No Yes St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
June 3, 2006: Globe & Mail: "Several Conservatives, most recently Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn, who originally said no to same-sex unions, now say they would not vote to reopen the issue, arguing that Canada has moved on." LINK

May 31, 2006: CTV News Report: "At this stage, we've debated it pretty thoroughly. Once you've reached the optimum, nobody is really happy, but if it's the best that you can do, then it's probably best to just leave it alone."
Gary Lunn Yes No Yes Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Peter MacKay Yes No No Central Nova, NS
May 31, 2006: CTV News Report: "I haven't had a single person come up to me to talk about it. It certainly isn't in line with the five priorities that we've set out."
Rob Nicholson n/a No Yes Niagara Falls, ON
Gordon O'Connor n/a No Yes Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON
Bev Oda n/a No Yes Durham, ON
Jim Prentice n/a Yes No Calgary Centre-North, AB
February 2, 2005: Released a statement: For me, the marriage question is one of individual liberty - of constitutional liberty. Let's be clear. I have been married to the same woman for 21 years, reflecting my own personal definition of what marriage is. It is also the definition of my own church, the Presbyterian Church of Canada".

April 19, 2005: In a speech in the House, he stated the vast majority of his constituents don't want to see SSM as an issue that divides Canadians. Said he is a Christian and that there are strong disagreements among his riding filled with religious communities. "Bill C-38 is limited to civil marriage. It has no bearing upon religious marriage or its solemnization." Noted that the Supreme Court's reference noting that any religious official forced to perform a marriage against their belief is a violation of the Charter, and "in my opinion, this observation by the Supreme Court sufficiently clarifies the distinction between religious marriage and civil marriage under federal legislation. What right do we have, as a society, to deny homosexual Canadians something the rest of us are entitled to, namely a civil marriage licence?".
Carol Skelton Yes No Yes Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
March 21, 2005: In the House of Commons, Skelton stated she believes gays and lesbians deserve exactly the same rights as heterosexuals - in a form of civil unions. She voted "no" citing opposition from her constituents as well as personal beliefs.
Monte Solberg Yes No Yes Medicine Hat, AB
April 5, 2005: While C-38 was in 2nd reading, he stated that his constituents are overwhelmingly opposed to SSM. Said traditional marriage brings order to society, and is the best environment for the raising of children. Said gays and lesbians have the right to form a relationship, but "do not have a right to rip open the institution of marriage and call it their own."
Chuck Strahl Yes No Yes Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Greg Thompson Yes No Yes New Brunswick Southwest, NB
May 3, 2005: Made a speech in the House of Commons that his constituents and himself are against the bill. Said "the churches are afraid of prosecution under the act because the government has not taken the time to provide them with adequate protection. That is an argument that we are hearing from all religions and all denominations."
Vic Toews Yes No Yes Provencher, MB
Peter Van Loan n/a No Yes York—Simcoe, ON
Josée Verner n/a n/a No Louis-St-Laurent, QC

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