Nicholson needs to clarify his clarification

Nicholson: "I want to make it very clear that, in our government's view, these marriages should be valid," Nicholson said.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Canada+will+change+solve+problem/5994940/story.html


There is a difference between should be valid and are valid.


This is especially so in light of what else he said.


Nicholson: "We will change the Civil Marriage Act so that any marriages performed in Canada that aren't recognized in the couple's home jurisdiction will be recognized in Canada."


If the marriages are already valid, there is no need to change the law. These marriages are already recognized. At best, the Minister has contradicted himself. At worst, the government's position really is that these marriages are not valid. That being the case, is it the position of the government that these "marriages" are retroactively legitimized upon the law changing, or will the couples in question have to officially marry --again -- to be married.

Update

It looks like the Minister did contradict himself. Good.

Nicholson: "I want to make it clear that in our government's view, these marriages are valid,"

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Same+marriage+revised/5995294/story.html

To sum up then, the Conservative position is as follows.

The marriages are valid.

The law will be changed so that marriages that we just said are valid are valid.

The gap in the law was, like every thing else that goes wrong, is the Liberals fault. The Liberals are the reason why we have to change the law to make sure that these marriages that are valid are valid.

In other words, we are going to pretend that there is a gap in the law and pretend to fix that nonexistent gap in the law because we once pretended that these marriages never happened.

Clear?