Parliament rejects Darwin motion

9 posts / 0 new

Wed, 2009-03-04 13:16

Snuckles

Quote:
OTTAWA — A Bloc Quebecois proposal to recognize Charles Darwin's theory of evolution as the only scientific explanation for the origin of the human species was rejected by Parliament.

The Bloc's Pierre Paquette put forward the motion Tuesday in an effort to recognize Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his seminal work "The Origin of Species."

He was seeking unanimous consent for the motion.

The greatest number of nay sayers appeared to come from the Conservative bench, while most others answered "yes" to the motion.

Read it [url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gjYlpSSUlfD....

Wed, 2009-03-04 13:32

It's Me D

Funny, one of the "related articles" to the article you've linked points out that since the 90s the Vatican has accepted what the Canadian Parliament does not... course one would have to read the motion but on the surface it sure sounds acceptable.

Wed, 2009-03-04 13:47

Snuckles

A followup. It turns out that the defeat of this motion may not be part of some sinister anti-science plot afterall. A blogger at Macleans has more details --> [url=http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/03/04/update-about-those-darwin-day-deniers... those Darwin Day deniers in the House …[/url].

Basically an anonymous Tory staffer says that MPs are under strict orders to deny any motion to unanimous consent from an opposition MP, regardless of the content of that motion; unless they have all party agreement up front. So our parliament isn't full of anti-science cranks, yet.

Also see [url=http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/03/03/alas-poor-darwin/]Alas, poor Darwin …[/url] which has the text of the Bloc MP's motion (which I'll reproduce below). . .

Quote:
That this House recognizes the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, the book which initiated the theory of evolution, the only scientifically-proven and recognized explanation of the origins of the human being.

Wed, 2009-03-04 13:48

Caissa

What a collosal waste of the House of Commons time.

Wed, 2009-03-04 13:57

It's Me D

Caissa wrote:
What a collosal waste of the House of Commons time.

If they weren't wasting time with this they could have...

Wed, 2009-03-04 14:13

Unionist

It's Me D wrote:

Caissa wrote:
What a collosal waste of the House of Commons time.

If they weren't wasting time with this they could have...

... sped up passage of the wage ceilings on public service workers and the attack on pay equity for women!

Wed, 2009-03-04 15:29

N.Beltov

Under the Conservatives and Liberals the SSHRC has degenerated to the point that they no longer consider that the "theory" of evolution by natural selection has enough evidence to substantiate it over, say "Intelligent Design". It's a wonder the neaderthals on the Conservative benches haven't demanded that evolution by natural selection be banned from schools altogether. I suppose it's a good thing that education is a provincial matter in Canada.

See Brian Alters and his rejected research project...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Alters

Wed, 2009-03-04 15:51

Unionist

N.Beltov wrote:

Under the Conservatives and Liberals the SSHRC has degenerated to the point that they no longer consider that the "theory" of evolution by natural selection has enough evidence to substantiate it over, say "Intelligent Design".

Excellent! I'm going to relocate to Ottawa and apply for a grant to prove that Darwin was wrong!!

Can anyone recommend a prime mover?

Wed, 2009-03-04 19:44

Michelle

This was actually a pretty funny and shrewd move. Now there's a club to hammer those who voted against the motion with during elections - that they are fundy freaks who don't believe in evolution.

Although I agree with Unionist - I'd much rather they waste time on this in the House than on the Conservative agenda.