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Liberal MP will sit as independent
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| EvilTree |
http://www.canada.com/national/stor...fc-678242d45b20
Canadian Press
June 6, 2005
Liberal MP Pat O'Brien announces at a news conference in Ottawa Monday he is quitting the Liberal party to sit as an independant. (CP/Tom Hanson)
ADVERTISEMENT
OTTAWA -- Liberal MP Pat O'Brien, who opposes his party's position on gay marriage, says he's quitting the Grits to sit as an Independent.
The move comes less than two months after he held a news conference to announce he was staying with the Liberals despite misgivings.
O'Brien has long opposed the government's efforts to pass legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.
He decided to stick with the Liberals in April after Prime Minister Paul Martin promised expanded debate of the marriage bill.
But O'Brien said the "full and fair" debate he expected has not happened.
The Liberals are pushing to pass the same-sex bill this month.
© Canadian Press 2005
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Interesting...
Well, at least politics isn't as boring as it normally is. |
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| Jayx1 |
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Dear Belinda,
This is how honest people quit their party.
Jay
Aurora-Newmarket registered voter |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Dear Belinda,
This is how honest people quit their party.
Jay
Aurora-Newmarket registered voter |
LOL!
I was about to say the same thing.
Less Ego and more morals plz... |
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| PartyHarlequin |
| Belinda is probably the worst case for a politician one could find. She got in cuz she's rich. She does what she wants cuz she's a brat and our government has no way to regulate her. WTF Conservatives get my vote all the way. |
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| MarkT |
tough break for the Liberals...
He's also stated he has no interest in bringing down the gov't or joining the Conservatives...so really this strikes me more as a symbolic move, so long as he still supports the gov't in confidence matters.
I'm mildly surprised that a Liberal MP would so strongly oppose the gay marriage bill that they would quit the party over it. |
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| Jayx1 |
| Other Liberals are considering voting against the budget in order to bring the government down over same-sex marriage. Wouldnt it be ironic if the government fell due to a civil war within the government itself? |
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| MarkT |
What's interesting about O'Brien is that he is adamantely opposed to the bill anyway...and to gay marriage in general, not specifically just the bill's wording, implications, etc.
So I'm not sure why he'd actually leave the party over the fasttracking of the legislation prior to the summer break. As was suggested in a Star article, nothing the committee could do would really appease him anyway. Did he think that further debate/discussion would sway people away from supporting it? why? isn't it equally plausible that further debate/discussion would strengthen support of the bill? strange, IMHO.
He's now hinting that he may attempt to help bring down the gov't over the bill...that would be pathetic...and if I was in his riding, I'd be on the phone tomorrow...the issue of gay marriage should not result in party memebers bailing and threatening to bring down the gov't...wow.
Funny too because this isn't just a Liberal thing...the NDP, Bloc, and majority of Liberals supported it with only the Conservatives and the 30-odd Liberals opposing it. |
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| Jayx1 |
I agree that there needs to be debate. Im in support of it but you still cant just rush something like this through. Remember that until 2002 the official Liberal stance was against gay marriage. Did they consult their caucus before they changed the policy? nope!
If the government falls over a lack of democracy i wont shed a tear. |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by MarkT
Funny too because this isn't just a Liberal thing...the NDP, Bloc, and majority of Liberals supported it with only the Conservatives and the 30-odd Liberals opposing it. |
2/3 of Canadians oppose it.
http://www.compas.ca/data/050202-SameSex-EPC.pdf
Included in that figure is a large number of gays who oppose it.
http://boards.conservativelife.com/viewtopic.php?t=1398
The Lieberals do not have a mandate from the people to destroy the institution of marriage.
edit: moral issues don't mix well with partisan politics... that's why we need referenda |
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| MarkT |
^^^ again...the will of the majority ought not determine the rights of any minority. This has been debated before...I'm not getting into it again.
jay, I agree there should be debate...but I guess I see this, admitedly from a more biased position than most, as a relatively clear cut case. I don't think this should be a case of needing a majority of Canadians to support it...it's about rights...not mere public policy.
back on topic though...I'd be curious to know exactly what O'Brien WOULD want to see happen in order that he support the bill...because he's been opposed to gay marriage from the start...not just the bill in its current form. |
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