June 06, 2005
Religious Right infiltrates political party
I didn't see this on the front page of today's Globe and Mail, however...
Christian groups look to influence Liberals, not just Tories
OTTAWA (CP) - Socially conservative Christian groups purportedly infiltrating the Conservative party have been equally involved in the ruling Liberal party for years.
"People of faith are engaging in the democratic process in the Liberal party as well as the Conservative party," Charles McVety, head of Canada Christian College and a founder of the Defend Marriage Coalition, said in an interview.
[...]
McVety said his group, which opposes same-sex marriage, helped a number of like-minded Liberals secure nominations prior to last year's election.
Among them were Toronto-area MPs Paul Szabo, Tom Wappel, Jim Karygiannis, Dan McTeague and Albina Guarnieri, now veterans affairs minister, and Oshawa MP Judi Longfield.
"And those are just some of the Liberals we've helped."
You have to wonder how many Torontonians voted for these guys because of that Conservative "hidden agenda" we keep hearing about. Meanwhile, MP Pat O'Brien has left the Liberal caucus because of his opposition to same-sex marriage - but that doesn't mean he'll vote to topple the government:
Liberal MP Pat O'Brien announced Monday he would be leaving the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent, saying Prime Minister Paul Martin had gone back on his promise to give adequate public consultation on same-sex marriage legislation.
[...]
Mr. O'Brien stopped short of saying he would vote against the government in a confidence motion. He said he and the other 34 Liberal MPs who voted against the legislation are in discussions about how they could stop the bill without toppling the government. But O'Brien said he would use any democratic means possible to stop the same-sex legislation from passing.