MARRIAGE DIGEST: Canadian political scandal could prevent 'gay marriage' vote; U.S. Senate considers amendment

OTTAWA (BP)-A Canadian political scandal involving the governing Liberal Party could directly impact the push to legalize same-sex "marriage."

The scandal, which some are calling Canada's "Watergate," escalated recently when a Quebec advertising executive testified that top Liberals asked him to donate to the party in exchange for government contracts. His company received contracts four times between 1993 and 2002 - a stretch in which the Liberals were in charge.

The contracts - part of a Liberal-backed sponsorship program - were to be used in Quebec for advertisements and promotions for Canadian unity. A significant number of people in the French-speaking province favor secession, although a 1995 referendum on secession failed.

An audit showed that $82 million (in U.S. dollars) out of $250 million budgeted for the sponsorship program went to advertising agencies that supported the Liberals. The audit also showed that some of the agencies produced nothing even though they were paid.

A handful of new polls have many observers predicting that an election will be called by this summer. (Unlike the U.S., Canada does not have scheduled elections.) If the Conservative Party wins the House of Commons, a Liberal bill to legalize same-sex "marriage" almost certainly would die.

"There is a depth of anger there. The Liberal Party is in deep, deep trouble," Richard Simeon, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, told the Associated Press.

The Liberals currently have 132 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons. Conservatives have 99, the Bloc Quebecois 54 and the New Democratic Party 19. There are three independents and one vacancy.

One poll, done by EKOS, showed 36 percent of Canadians supporting the Conservatives, 25 percent the Liberals, 20.5 percent the NDPs, and 12.6 percent the Bloc.

Another poll, this one by Environics, showed the Conservatives at 33 percent, the Liberals at 27 percent and the NDP at 24 percent.

SENATE CONSIDERS AMENDMENT

A U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittee heard testimony April 14 on the need of a U.S. constitutional marriage amendment.

Specifically, the hearing addressed whether state bans on "gay marriage" are in jeopardy from a federal court ruling.

Gerard V. Bradley, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, argued for an amendment's passage, saying the Supreme Court will take up the issue eventually if Congress does not.

The marriage amendment in the Senate has 28 sponsors.

It is S.J. Resolution 1.