Demagogue

The Canadian government introduced its contentious same-sex marriage bill in Parliament on Tuesday, seeking to legalize gay marriage nationwide over the objections of the Roman Catholic Church and other conservative clergy.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, upon introducing the bill, said the legislation reflected the spirit of Canadian rights and freedoms protected under the constitution.

"Canada is a land built on a tradition of equality and respect," Cotler said. "It is the responsibility of Parliament to ensure that minority rights are uniform across the country. The government cannot, and should not, pick and choose which rights they will defend and which rights they will ignore."
...
Prime Minister Paul Martin, whose minority Liberal government drafted the legislation, defended the proposed bill on Tuesday.

"Canada is a country where minorities are protected," he said.

Martin has staked his leadership on the issue, saying he was prepared to call early elections to defend the right of homosexuals to marry.

Such an unusual political strategy-- politicians standing strong and proud for what they believe is fundamentally right and just. What a concept!