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A private member’s bill that would have allowed students and teachers to opt out of same-sex marriage discussions will die on the order paper when the legislative assembly is prorogued.
Sponsored by Foothills–Rocky View MLA Ted Morton, Bill 208, Protection of Fundamental Freedoms (Marriage) Statutes Amendment Act, 2006, would have allowed students to refuse to attend and teachers to refuse to teach, without penalty, classes on same-sex marriage. It would also have required schools to notify parents if same-sex marriage formed part of the curriculum.
The bill was scheduled to be considered by committee of the whole the afternoon of August 28, but the Liberal and New Democrat oppositions moved for emergency debates and belaboured written questions and motions for return until the assembly wrapped up at 5:30 p.m. Even Edmonton-Castle Downs MLA Thomas Lukaszuk got into the act, forcing the Speaker to rule on a point of order concerning the attire of Harry Chase, MLA for Calgary-Varsity.
It is unlikely the bill would have reached third reading in any case—something Morton, one of 10 candidates for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, acknowledged in an August 24 news release. Describing the intent of Bill 208 as protection of freedom of speech and religion, he asked MLAs who had voted in favour of the bill at second reading to continue supporting it.
"A strong vote of confidence for Bill 208 on August 28 will signal to Albertans our party’s resolve to protect these fundamental freedoms from the forces and factions that threaten them," Morton said. He proceeded to cite five recent education-related events in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, which, he said, "demonstrate the necessity of legislated protection in the context of same-sex marriage."
Morton’s sentiments were echoed by Red Deer-North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski, who delivered a prepared member’s statement August 28 in anticipation of the bill’s consideration.
"I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the honourable Member for Foothills–Rocky View to ensure that the basic rights of every Canadian that are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are protected. By ensuring the basic rights of all, we are ensuring the democratic freedoms of Canada for generations to come," she said.
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