OTTAWA - Activists on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate say the Conservative government has delayed a vote to reopen the controversial issue -- a move that could help those who oppose extending the marriage definition to include homosexual couples.

Laurie Aaron, a spokesman for Canadians for Equal Marriage, which supports same-sex marriage, said yesterday that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has told the caucus that the vote has been put off until the end of the fall sitting of Parliament.

It is widely believed that a motion to revisit the matter of gay and lesbian marriage would fail if it were held today; many MPs who voted against same-sex marriage say they don't want to revisit the matter.

Mr. Harper promised on the first day of the federal election campaign that he would ask Parliament if there is a will to reopen the divisive matter. He later said the vote will take place this fall -- and some people who follow the issue closely had expected it as early as this week.

Dr. McVety said his group and the others that oppose same-sex marriage believe there was a lack of information and due process leading up to the 2005 vote that extended the definition of the institution to include gays and lesbians.

Next week, for instance, the opponents of same-sex marriage will introduce a national marriage caucus, made up of politicians as well as community religious and business leaders, to explain to MPs why the matter should be reopened, Dr. McVety said.

He said he received no answers from the government when he asked last week about the timing and the process of the same-sex vote. He indicated some concern that the Conservatives could surprise the Commons with the controversial motion at a time when the opposition benches are less than full.

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