Liberal Party MP’s: Plot to Kill Same Sex Marriage Bill

Liberal MP Pat O’Brien announces at a news conference in Ottawa on Monday that he is quitting the Liberal party to sit as an independent.

Canadian Liberal Party members met last Thursday to plan strategy and to plot the ultimate demise of a same-sex marriage bill:

It was an extraordinary meeting in which the MPs discussed strategy, talked of ways to stall the bill and tossed out various scenarios. They even spoke about the possibility of supporting the Conservatives on a no-confidence motion to bring down the government, which would, in effect, kill the marriage bill.

Another person at the meeting was London, Ont., MP Pat O’Brien. A vocal participant, he laid out for his colleagues his frustration with the committee process and the bill.

But he gave no indication he was thinking about the drastic step he took yesterday — leaving the caucus to sit as an independent.

Flap reported yesterday – Paul O’Brien Leaves the Liberal Party: New Election Call?

In his news conference yesterday, Mr. O’Brien said he would do anything he could to stall or defeat the marriage bill, refusing to rule out voting against the government on its forthcoming budget bills.

During the news conference, Mr. O’Brien repeatedly referred to the committee process as a “farce.”

Captain Ed over At Captain’s Quarters has this:

O’Brien’s defection has left the Commons equally split, considering the alliances between the parties. The Tories/BQ faction has 152 seats, the same as the ruling Liberal/NDP bloc, with now four independents, including O’Brien. O’Brien indicated that he would consider voting against the government on the next confidence motion that gets tabled, which would split the independents and leave the decision once again to the Speaker, a result which would save Martin. However, if another member of that mini-caucus opposing gender-neutral marriage takes a walk to join O’Brien, Martin is in serious trouble — and playing Let’s Make A Deal, post-Grewal, probably isn’t in the cards.

A summer election may still happen. Stay tuned

Agreed, Flap continues to handicap a Canadian election within a year.