Canada to reopen same-sex marriage debate

Canada's Conservative government is planing to table a motion in early December to reopen the same-sex marriage debate, local media reported Friday.

Under former Liberal government led by Prime Minister Paul Martin, Canada passed the controversial Bill C-38 last year legalizing same-sex marriage. That made Canada become one of the only three countries in the world to recognize same-sex marriage.

The Conservative government, which came to power this February, had vowed during the election campaign to reopen the debate and allow party members to vote on the issue freely.

In last year's vote to legalize same-sex marriage, only Liberal backbenchers had permission to vote freely. Ministers were told to support the bill.

The bill got the support of the majority of Liberal, Bloc and New Democrat MPs, and easily passed in a 158 to 133 vote last year.

Analysts say December's expected motion to revisit the debate will most likely fail. The New Democratic Party (NDP) officially supports same-sex marriage, along with the vast majority of MPs from Bloc Quebecois and at least half of all Liberals MPs, the report by Canadian Television said Friday.

Source: Xinhua