Calling all readers II.

Introduction

This is an updated version of a list printed in the April edition of C.I. on page 18. The central idea we are putting forward is that in an election, Catholics should not vote for a party, but for or against candidates who present themselves in individual ridings. In this case, we urge you to vote for a candidate who upholds traditional marriage, whether he or she is Liberal or Conservative. If your sitting MP supports sodo-matrimony or same-sex "marriage" (SSM), vote against him or her. This is the only way to overthrow anti-life, anti-family MPs.

The list of 90 (out of 308 MPs in the House of Commons) names below are those of Catholic Members of Parliament +(MPs), together with their stands for (Yes) or against (No) the government's same-sex marriage legislation, Bill C-38.

Note about the 90 members

The number 90 is incomplete. The reason is Quebec. Out of 75 Quebec MPs, five are not Catholic. Out of the remaining 70, we have traced 16 MPs as being Catholics. That leaves 44 MPs. Of these, it may well be that all would acknowledge being baptized Catholics, but we have not been able to verify this. If we add 44 of them to our 90 MPs already designated as Catholic, the total would be 134 Catholic MPs. All 44 have to be added to the pro-SSM partisans.

The division would be as follows:

            Against SSM                Question
               (No)       In favour      mark

                37            51           2
April 12     37 (40%)      53 (60%)        -
  vote

            (The two with question marks voted yes.)
   Add
Remaining        -            44           -
Quebec Mps
            37 (27.6%)    97 (72.4%)       -

April 12, 2005 vote

The column "April 12" refers to a proposed amendment to Bill C-38 put forward by the Conservative party on that date, which specified that marriage must continue to be defined as a union between a man and a woman, to the exclusion of all others. A checkmark ([check]) indicates that the MP voted for the amendment, and thus, is in support of traditional marriage. An X-mark indicates that the MP voted against the amendment, and thus, is in favour of same-sex "marriage."

There may still be a few inaccuracies, either because of omission (more Catholic MPs) or because of wrong information. We request that our readers send us any corrections they see need to be made.

May 4, 2005 vote

The column "May 4" refers to the vote on the Second Reading of Bill C-38, which wound up passing by a margin of 164-137. In this column, a checkmark ([check]) indicates the MP voted against Bill C-38 and thus, in favour of traditional marriage. Conversely, an X-mark indicates the MP voted for Bill C-38, and thus, is in favour of same-sex "marriage." One can see that in every case where an MP took a position on April 12, that MP voted the same way on May 4.

A bit of good news was among those MPs who were absent or abstained from voting on April 12. In those cases, the MPs either abstained again (Bev Desjarlais) or voted in favour of traditional marriage (Paul Zed, Robert Bouchard, Odina Desrochers and Carolyn Parrish). This may point out the importance and effectiveness of lobbying those MPs "sitting on the fence."

Grave offence

SSM is a grave offence against God, yet many Catholic MPs intend to vote for it, thereby cutting themselves off from the Catholic community. Mr. Paul Martin has foolishly said, "If I have to choose between the Church and the Charter, I'll choose the Charter."

That is why this chart is unsettling. If we exclude Quebec altogether, we reduce the number of Catholic MPs (after April 12) as follows:

Against SSM (No)          In favour

      30                     42

In other words, 60 per cent of Canadian Catholic MPs outside Quebec reject Catholic teaching.

Within Quebec, the number of dissenting MPs is 93%.

For Ontario, the division is as follows:

Opposed to SSM       In favour

   17 (36%)           30 (64%)

We want to encourage all our readers to write or fax the MPs who are our fellow Catholics. Our bishops from coast to coast have written pastoral letters; Catholic Insight has published many articles--see our SSM Index in the May edition.

Let your MP know that if he/she chooses sodo-matrimony over the Church, you will choose someone else over him or her in the next election.

Encourage those now opposed to stand fast.

Pray for them.

Conclusion

It seems unlikely that current MPs are about to change their minds. The only solution, therefore, is for Catholics to exercise their ballots at election time. If you have an MP who supports traditional marriage, vote for him or her; if you have an MP who supports SSM, vote against that candidate.

CATHOLIC MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND SAME-SEX "MARRIAGE"

                                               SSM     APRIL 12

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR:
Doyle, Norman (C - Saint John's East)          NO      [check]
Hearn, Loyola (C--St. John's South)            NO      [check]

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND:
MacAulay, Lawrence (L--Cardigan)               NO      [check]
McGuire, Joe (L--Egmont)                       YES        X
Murphy, Shawn (L--Charlottetown)               YES        X

NOVA SCOTIA:
Casey, Bill (C--Cumberland)                    NO      [check]
Regan, Geoff (L--Halifax West)                 YES        X
Savage, Michael (L--Dartmouth)                 YES        X
Thibault, Robert (L--West Nova)                YES        X

NEW BRUNSWICK:
Bradshaw, Claudette (L--Moncton)               YES        X
LeBlanc, Dominic (L--Beausejour)                ?         X
Zed, Paul (L--Saint John)                      NO       ABSENT

QUEBEC:
Andre, Guy (BQ--Berthier)                      YES        X
Asselin, Gerard (BQ--Manicougan)               NO      [check]
Bachand, Claude (BQ--Saint Jean)               YES        X
Bellavance, Andre (BQ--Richmond)               YES        X
Bonsant, France (BQ--Compton)                  YES        X
Bouchard, Robert (BQ--Chicoutimi)              NO       ABSENT
Boulianne, Marc (BQ--Megantic)                 YES        X
Cardin, Serge (BQ--Sherbrooke)                 NO      [check]
Desrochers, Odina (BQ--Lotbiniere)             NO       ABSENT
Dion, Stephane (L--Saint Laurent)              YES        X
Frulla, Liza (L - Jeanne-Le Ber)               YES        X
Gaudet, Roger (BQ--Montcalm)                   NO      [check]
Lapierre, Jean C. (L--Outremont)               YES        X
Martin, Paul (L--La Salle-Emard)               YES        X
Pacetti, Massimo (L--Saint Leonard ... )       NO      [check]
Pettigrew, Pierre (L--Papineau)                YES        X
Robillard, Lucienne (L--Westmount)             YES        X
Scarpaleggia, Francis (L--Lac-Saint-Louis)     NO      [check]

ONTARIO:
Angus, Charlie (NDP--Timmin.s)                 YES        X
Augustine, Jean (L--Etobicoke-Lakeshore)       YES        X
Belanger, Mauril (L--Ottawa-Vanier)            YES        X
Bevilacqua, Maurizio (L--Vaughan)              YES        X
Bonin, Raymond (L--Nickel Belt)                NO      [check]
Boschoff Ken (L--Thunder Bay)                  NO      [check]
Boudria, Don (L--Glengarry-Prescott)           YES        X
Brown, Bonnie (L--Oakville)                    YES        X
Bulte, Samiite (L--Parkdale-High Park)         YES        X
Carrie, Cohn (C--Oshawa)                       NO      [check]
Carroll, Aileen (L--Barrie)                    YES        X
Catterall, Marlene (L--Ottawa, WNepean)        YES        X
Comartin, Joe (NDP--Windsor--Teaunseh)         YES        X
Comuzzi, Joe (L--Thunder Bay)                  YES        X
Cullen, Roy (L--Etobicoke North)               NO      [check]
DeVillets, Paul (L--Simcoe North)              YES        X
Fontana, Joe (L--London North Centre)          YES        X
Gallant, Cheryl (C--Renfrew-Pembroke)          NO      [check]
Godbout, Marcel (L--0ttawa-Orleans)            YES        X
Guarnieri, Albina (L--Mississauga E)           YES        X
Ianno, Tony (L--Trinity--Spadina)              YES        X
Lastewka, Walt (L - St. Catharines)            NO      [check]
Lauzon, Guy (C--Stormont--Dundas)              NO      [check]
Lee, Derek (L - Scarb.--Rouge River)           NO      [check]
Longfield, Judi (L - Whitby-Oshawa)            NO      [check]
Maloney, John (L--Welland)                     NO      [check]
Marleau, Diane (L--Sudbury)                    YES        X
Martin, Tony (NDP--Sault Ste. Marie)           YES        X
McGuinty, David (L - Ottawa-South)             YES        X
McTeague, Dan (L--Pickenng-Scarb-E)            NO      [check]
Minna, Maria (L--Beaches--East York)           YES        X

Nicholson, Rob (C--Niagara Falls)              NO      [check]
O'Brien, Pat (L--London--Fanshawe)             NO      [check]
Parrish, Carolyn (Ind--Miss--Erindale)         NO       ABSENT
Poilievre, Pierre (C--Nepean--Carleton)        NO      [check]
Rota, Anthony (L - Nip--Timiskaming)           YES        X
St. Amand, Lloyd (L - Brant)                   YES        X
St. Denis, Brent (L - Algoma--Manitoulin)      YES        X
Sgro, Judy (L - York West)                     YES        X
Silva, Mario (L--Davenport)                    YES        X
Szabo, Paul (L--Misssissauga South)            NO      [check]
Telegdi, Andrew (L--Kitchener--Waterloo)       YES        X
Torsney, Paddy (L--Burlington)                 YES        X
Valeri, Tony (L--Hamilton--Stoney Creek)       YES        X
Volpe, Joseph (L--Eglinton--Lawrence)          YES        X
Wappel, Tom (L--Scarborough SW)                NO      [check]
Wrzesnewskyj, Borys (L--Etobicoke Ctr)         YES        X

MANITOBA:
Desjarlais, Bev (NDP--Churchill)               NO      ABSTAIN
Martin, Pat (NDP--Winnipeg Centre)             YES        X
Simard, Raymond (L--Saint Boniface)            NO      [check]

SASKATCHEWAN:
Goodale, Ralph (L--Wascana)                    YES        X
Scheer, Andrew (C--Regina-Qu'Appelle)          NO      [check]

ALBERTA:
Anders, Rob (C--Calgary West)                  NO      [check]
Benoit, Leon (C--Vegreville-Wainwright)        NO      [check]
Kenney, Jason (C--Calgary Southeast)           NO      [check]

BRITISH COLUMBIA:
Cummins, John (C - Delta-Richmond-E)           NO      [check]
Fry, Hedy (L - Vancouver Centre)               YES        X
Martin, Keith (L-Esquimalt Juan de Fuca)       YES        X

NWT, YUKON AND NUNAVUT:
Blondin-Andrew, Ethel (L - W. Arctic)          YES        X

                                              MAY 4

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR:
Doyle, Norman (C - Saint John's East)        [check]
Hearn, Loyola (C--St. John's South)          [check]

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND:
MacAulay, Lawrence (L--Cardigan)             [check]
McGuire, Joe (L--Egmont)                        X
Murphy, Shawn (L--Charlottetown)                X

NOVA SCOTIA:
Casey, Bill (C--Cumberland)                  [check]
Regan, Geoff (L--Halifax West)                  X
Savage, Michael (L--Dartmouth)                  X
Thibault, Robert (L--West Nova)                 X

NEW BRUNSWICK:
Bradshaw, Claudette (L--Moncton)                X
LeBlanc, Dominic (L--Beausejour)                X
Zed, Paul (L--Saint John)                    [check]

QUEBEC:
Andre, Guy (BQ--Berthier)                       X
Asselin, Gerard (BQ--Manicougan)             [check]
Bachand, Claude (BQ--Saint Jean)                X
Bellavance, Andre (BQ--Richmond)                X
Bonsant, France (BQ--Compton)                   X
Bouchard, Robert (BQ--Chicoutimi)            [check]
Boulianne, Marc (BQ--Megantic)                  X
Cardin, Serge (BQ--Sherbrooke)               [check]
Desrochers, Odina (BQ--Lotbiniere)           [check]
Dion, Stephane (L--Saint Laurent)               X
Frulla, Liza (L - Jeanne-Le Ber)                X
Gaudet, Roger (BQ--Montcalm)                 [check]
Lapierre, Jean C. (L--Outremont)                X
Martin, Paul (L--La Salle-Emard)                X
Pacetti, Massimo (L--Saint Leonard ... )     [check]
Pettigrew, Pierre (L--Papineau)                 X
Robillard, Lucienne (L--Westmount)              X
Scarpaleggia, Francis (L--Lac-Saint-Louis)   [check]

ONTARIO:
Angus, Charlie (NDP--Timmin.s)                  X
Augustine, Jean (L--Etobicoke-Lakeshore)        X
Belanger, Mauril (L--Ottawa-Vanier)             X
Bevilacqua, Maurizio (L--Vaughan)               X
Bonin, Raymond (L--Nickel Belt)              [check]
Boschoff Ken (L--Thunder Bay)                [check]
Boudria, Don (L--Glengarry-Prescott)            X
Brown, Bonnie (L--Oakville)                     X
Bulte, Samiite (L--Parkdale-High Park)          X
Carrie, Cohn (C--Oshawa)                     [check]
Carroll, Aileen (L--Barrie)                     X
Catterall, Marlene (L--Ottawa, WNepean)         X
Comartin, Joe (NDP--Windsor--Teaunseh)          X
Comuzzi, Joe (L--Thunder Bay)                   X
Cullen, Roy (L--Etobicoke North)             [check]
DeVillets, Paul (L--Simcoe North)               X
Fontana, Joe (L--London North Centre)           X
Gallant, Cheryl (C--Renfrew-Pembroke)        [check]
Godbout, Marcel (L--0ttawa-Orleans)             X
Guarnieri, Albina (L--Mississauga E)            X
Ianno, Tony (L--Trinity--Spadina)               X
Lastewka, Walt (L - St. Catharines)          [check]
Lauzon, Guy (C--Stormont--Dundas)            [check]
Lee, Derek (L - Scarb.--Rouge River)         [check]
Longfield, Judi (L - Whitby-Oshawa)          [check]
Maloney, John (L--Welland)                   [check]
Marleau, Diane (L--Sudbury)                     X
Martin, Tony (NDP--Sault Ste. Marie)            X
McGuinty, David (L - Ottawa-South)              X
McTeague, Dan (L--Pickenng-Scarb-E)          [check]
Minna, Maria (L--Beaches--East York)

X
Nicholson, Rob (C--Niagara Falls)            [check]
O'Brien, Pat (L--London--Fanshawe)           [check]
Parrish, Carolyn (Ind--Miss--Erindale)       [check]
Poilievre, Pierre (C--Nepean--Carleton)      [check]
Rota, Anthony (L - Nip--Timiskaming)            X
St. Amand, Lloyd (L - Brant)                    X
St. Denis, Brent (L - Algoma--Manitoulin)       X
Sgro, Judy (L - York West)                      X
Silva, Mario (L--Davenport)                     X
Szabo, Paul (L--Misssissauga South)          [check]
Telegdi, Andrew (L--Kitchener--Waterloo)        X
Torsney, Paddy (L--Burlington)                  X
Valeri, Tony (L--Hamilton--Stoney Creek)        X
Volpe, Joseph (L--Eglinton--Lawrence)           X
Wappel, Tom (L--Scarborough SW)              [check]
Wrzesnewskyj, Borys (L--Etobicoke Ctr)          X

MANITOBA:
Desjarlais, Bev (NDP--Churchill)             ABSTAIN
Martin, Pat (NDP--Winnipeg Centre)              X
Simard, Raymond (L--Saint Boniface)          [check]

SASKATCHEWAN:
Goodale, Ralph (L--Wascana)                     X
Scheer, Andrew (C--Regina-Qu'Appelle)        [check]

ALBERTA:
Anders, Rob (C--Calgary West)                [check]
Benoit, Leon (C--Vegreville-Wainwright)      [check]
Kenney, Jason (C--Calgary Southeast)         [check]

BRITISH COLUMBIA:
Cummins, John (C - Delta-Richmond-E)         [check]
Fry, Hedy (L - Vancouver Centre)                X
Martin, Keith (L-Esquimalt Juan de Fuca)        X

NWT, YUKON AND NUNAVUT:
Blondin-Andrew, Ethel (L - W. Arctic)           X