What is the Alliance motion?
The Canadian Alliance party wanted to capitalize on the fear among MPs by forcing them to declare early whether they will vote for the legislation. On September 16, 2003 they reintroduced the Reform motion that passed on June 8, 1999, which stated that: “marriage is and should remain the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and that Parliament will take all necessary steps to preserve this definition of marriage in Canada.” “All necessary steps” is code for the notwithstanding clause. This motion was narrowly defeated 137 – 132. This vote was a wake-up call to supporters of equal marriage, telling us that there is no guarantee that the government’s legislation will pass.
