Squirt,

I wouldn't tar and feather Canadians with the Republican brush just yet. Here's a little lesson in the Canadian parliamentary process.

As Jasun correctly stated, Bill C-268 is a private member's bill, that is, a bill introduced by a member of parliament who is not a cabinet minister or secretary.

Conservative Member of Parliament David Chatters tabled a private member's bill to define marriage as being "between one man and one woman." Bill C-213 was tabled on October 15, 2004. Rob Moore, another Conservative Member of Parliament, tabled Bill C-268 on November 5. Moore's bill would push the issue back to Parliament.

When bills are first introduced they are called "first readings." Essentially, they are bills that a member of parliament is suggesting the government discuss and vote on.

Private member's bills must be deemed constitutional by the Subcommittee on Private Member's Business before they can be voted on in the House of Commons. In the last Parliament, private member's bills to define marriage as being between a man and a woman were all deemed unconstitutional so could not be put to a vote.

At this point, the private member's bill is dead. It goes no further.

Bills introduced by the government are numbered C-1 to C-200, these are the ones to be considered more seriously. Private member's bills are numbered C-201 to C-1000, and they hardly ever pass first reading.

In order for a bill to become an act of parliament (or law) it must pass through three readings in the House of Commons. It then proceeds to the Senate, where if the Senate makes any changes it goes back to Parliament for their approval. If it passes the Senate without any further changes, it proceeds to the Governor General, who is the Crown's (Queen of England) representative in Canada. If the Governor General gives their consent, which they almost always do, then the bill becomes an act of parliament – law.

Canada is an independent country not governed by England any longer. We kept the Governor General's position out of respect for our heritage, the past, and the Queen.

Rob Moore, as Jasun mentioned, is a member of the Conservative Party. However, he's a member from the province of New Brunswick, not out west. And Jasun was absolutely bang on when he said that the private member's bills are almost always introduced so the member can go back to his constituents and say, "See, I tried to make a difference, but all of those Liberals wouldn't even consider my legislation. Aren't I a good little member of parliament, I tried my best, please re-elect me and I try even harder next time."

Canadian civics class is over.

Cheers
Dzinerbear