David Akin's On the Hill :: Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

Gemini Award-winning reporter David Akin is the National Affairs Correspondent for Canwest News Service and is based at the CNS Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Contact information for Akin.

Subscribe to this blog using your favourite feed reader:

David's Twitter Feed

A few great lines ...

2004 CAJ National Conference

Vimy2007

Who pays for this blog?
I receive no fees, considerations, etc. etc. for the posts on this blog nor do I have any plans to accept any. My salary is paid by Canwest Global Communications Corp. I work for that company as the Ottawa-based National Affairs Correspondent for Canwest News Service.
The blog publishing platform used here is called Blogware and it's developed by Tucows Inc. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Blogware users typically pay a monthly fee for using this platform but I do not as Tucows has kindly provided me with this platform. I may report on Tucows, its associated operations and executives, and on industry issues that may affect Tucows. I am grateful for Tucows' assistance but that's it. No favours were promised for their generosity nor do Tucows executives expect any. I hold no direct equity or stock in any company, Tucows included.
If you think other disclosures are appropriate in this space, I'd like to hear from you. All of my contact details are always at www.davidakin.com You can read more about this section

Main Page

Previous:	Kyoto and Canada's green plan
Next:	O'Brien stays -- to defend traditional definition of marriage

Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

by DavidAkin on Thu 14 Apr 2005 10:44 AM EDT | Permanent Link | Cosmos

Pat O’Brien (left), the Liberal Member of Parliament for the southern Ontario riding of London-Fanshawe, has called a press conference for 11 am this morning to discuss his future. O’Brien, earlier this week, called a Liberal MP Sarmite Bulte a “blonde bimbo” after she referred to him as a rat for considering leaving the Liberal caucus over the sponsorship scandal.

O’Brien conceded that he was thinking about it and that senior Conservative officials were talking to him. He did say though that he wanted to wait until a major report from a Commons committee he chairs was out next week. Apparently, he doesn’t want to wait anymore.

O’Brien is among the most vocal opponents within his caucus of the Liberal plans for legalize same-sex marriage.

He was first elected — as a Liberal — in 1993 and has won four elections as a Liberal.

Posted to:

Main Page

Comments

Comment posting not enabled for this article

Re: Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

by Anonymous on Mon 06 Jun 2005 07:51 PM EDT | Permanent Link

I want to congratulate Pat O'Brien for standing up for what he said he would do. I am in complete agreement with him, as are most Canadians on this matter. I would like to see a national referendum regarding same sex marriage, and I know that it would not pass if that was allowed, that is why the Liberals are trying to push it through. Why should a group of people totalling less than 1% of the population be able to tell what the other 99% will have as law. What are you afraid of Liberals, that the will of the majority will prevail?

Re: Re: Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

by Anonymous on Mon 06 Jun 2005 08:27 PM EDT | Permanent Link

Thank you Mr. O'Brien for standing by your conscience. I get lots of emails and am surprised at the support there is out there against same-sex marriage. We need more MP's like you to take a stand.

Thanks again.

Joan Braunberger@hotmail.com

Re: Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

by Anonymous on Tue 07 Jun 2005 10:27 AM EDT | Permanent Link

Finally, someone that has the courage to stand up and convey to Canadians that a marraige union is between man & woman. One does not have to have a very active brian to realize that even plants and animals have the natural reqirement of male and female for the continuation of their respective species. Mr. O'Brien should be proud and honoured by all, for his stand on common sense.
R. Mike Padalec

Re: Pat O'Brien to quit Liberals?

by Anonymous on Mon 18 Jul 2005 12:41 AM EDT | Permanent Link

I'm glad Mr O'Brien is not my MP. Lest the readers of this blog think that it's true that "99%" of Canadians are having same-sex marriage rammed down their throat, let me just say that there is a reason why this legislation is able to pass and that Canadians, as a whole, have not been rioting in the streets. It's because most Canadians don't consider same-sex marriage to be a threat to them or their way or life.

I believe that our politicians should listen to the will of the people, but I also would like to think that they are able to be leaders - moving the country forward towards an equal, just, and compassionate society. If Mr O'Brien feels strongly about this issue that's his right, but mob mentality on the part of a vocal few cannot be allowed to take over the national character.