Chrétien prepares pivotal speech - sway caucus, country on same sex

[dArKeR]

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is to make a passionate plea to Liberal MPs and to the country for support of his same-sex marriage bill in a speech before his caucus tonight, Liberal insiders say.

With the heat of opposition riding higher than anticipated, Mr. Chrétien is expected to outline why he has made an about-face since a 1999 vote endorsing the traditional, heterosexual-only definition of marriage, and ask MPs to back the expansion of marriage as a matter of human rights.

"He, like most of us last time, voted for a traditional definition of marriage. He'll explain his reasoning. He's a very passionate political person," said Joe Jordan, an Eastern Ontario MP and former parliamentary secretary to Mr. Chrétien.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030819.wchre0818/BNStory/National/

This is amazing! 1-3 months ago it seemed Canadians were all behind this then you had the actual movement foward of the 'legislative work' then the U.S. jumps in against it about 2-3 weeks ago then all of a sudden the 'media' reports 'resistance'. Well I don't believe it. I don't know any Canadian against this. I don't feel 'in my bones' Canadians are 'asses' like Robertson/Falwell/Bush thus I don't think Canadian 'personality' 'morals'... are against this.

Can you say 'conspiracy'?

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[caribmon]

1. Canada's media is Polorized

The media is owned by a small group of the rich including the Aspers, Conrad Black and a few others.

Canwest owned by Izzy Asper owns nearly 150 small weekly papers (As well as a right wing national and scores of dailies) and tried to have all editorials come out of head office at one point. Local editors were incensed that they had to print Pro Israel editorials all the time and fought back.

[J B]

2. The public's opinion does not matter here.

This is a case of complying with the supreme authority in the country, the supreme court, which in a case like this, cannot be overruled by any body (not since '82). So unless they wanna totally wreck the rule of law, which they won't, they must comply.

Note that the national supreme court hasn't ruled (yet) but it was just gonna be a matter of time and EVERYONE knows it...