Conservative MP Jason Kenney was on the Roy Green this morning to discuss his comments regarding who can marry. For those out of the loop he said:
"The fact is that homosexuals aren't barred from marrying under Canadian law," Kenney said at the meeting of the Punjabi Press Club last month in Brampton, Ont. The group represents more than a dozen Punjabi-language newspapers.
Former NDP MP Svend Robinson - an outspoken gay rights advocate and Canada's first publicly declared gay MP - was once married to a woman, noted Kenney. He also said that NDP MP Libby Davies was once married to a man.
"Marriage is open to everybody, as long as they're a man and a woman," said Kenney.
"It doesn't say you can't marry if you're a homosexual. The fact is that homosexuals have been married and do marry."
While this statement is factual it misses the point of the whole debate. It seems that MP Stephen Harper is getting frustrated with his MP's tripping over themselves on this issue and has taken the drastic step to have all speeches on the matter vetted by his office.
...Geoff Norquay, senior spokesperson for Harper, confirmed Sunday that speeches must be vetted by the leader's office.
"All of our MPs who wish to address the House will be able to do so," Norquay told the Vancouver Sun.
"We simply want to ensure that the arguments we make are clearly focused on the real issue -- the definition of marriage as opposed to the spurious arguments being advanced by the Liberals."
MP Kenney defended this move on the Roy Green show since it is clear to him that there are members of the media who will make a front-page story out of any Conservative statement that goes against the Politically Correct grain.
A properly functioning democracy needs a vigorous debate on the issues before the populace. Such bowing to the pressures of the Politically Correct establishment does no one any good. That being said, it is good pratice for a political party to stay on message and this issue will continually test the Conservatives (and Liberals for that matter) ability to do so.
