The sparks flew yesterday inside and outside the Liberal caucus over same-sex marriage as the Prime Minister was told by one of his MPs that it had now become "personal" between them.
In the closed-door session, Toronto MP Tom Wappel, who is strongly opposed to legislation that will redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, accused Paul Martin of reneging on his promise to address the so-called democratic deficit by not allowing cabinet ministers to vote freely on this issue.
"I'm profoundly disappointed with you," Mr. Wappel told Mr. Martin, according to an insider. "I've known you since . . . 1988 and I just don't understand how this can be, and it's now personal between you and me."
Later, caucus chairman Andy Savoy told him to take his complaints "outside."
The fractious atmosphere in the caucus room yesterday was also underlined by a subtle shift in the way in which the Prime Minister and his cabinet are now defining and trying to sell the issue.
The language around same-sex marriage has suddenly changed; some MPs believe it is an attempt by the Prime Minister to soften the issue and make it more palatable.
Mr. Martin, for example, is now referring to same-sex marriage as "civil marriage."
"It's not as offensive to some people," said an MP, adding that the "power of language and communication" is very important in defining controversial issues.
Said another MP: "No one wants to call it that [same-sex marriage]any more. It's all civil marriage. Now we have to be very politically correct."
And other MPs have noted that Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has begun referring to the issue as one of "human rights" rather than simply "minority rights."
"They are shifting gears on this . . . trying to really put the heat on," the MP said.
An Ontario MP who is against the bill said: "I think they are getting nervous."
Although Mr. Martin and his supporters are predicting the bill will pass in the House of Commons, it will not be an easy ride.
Yesterday, Mr. Savoy, a New Brunswick MP who has had more than 50 stitches in his head from youthful hockey fights, told Mr. Wappel to "take it outside" after Mr. Wappel accused former House leader Jacques Saada of going back on his word about allowing cabinet ministers to vote freely.
Mr. Saada denied he had ever made that promise.
"If you have something with Jacques, take it outside," Mr. Savoy said, according to an insider.
The insider said the Prime Minister was clearly feeling the "heat" from Mr. Wappel and others who oppose the bill, which was introduced earlier this week. But he stood his ground, refusing to give in to entreaties that he allow his ministers to vote as they like. The Prime Minister is allowing his back bench a free vote.
He needs the support of his 37-member team to win the vote. And he deflected the criticisms of Mr. Wappel and northern Ontario MP Ray Bonin, who supported Mr. Wappel, by telling his caucus to "stick together."
Mr. Martin mocked Tory Leader Stephen Harper's position on the issue. Mr. Harper is opposed to the bill but will not do what is necessary to make same-sex marriage illegal, which would mean trying to force the government into using the Charter of Rights and Freedom's notwithstanding clause.
"But we should all stick together and not let Stephen Harper off the hook," Mr. Martin said, according to the insider.
"He's the Waldo in all of this . . . Where's Waldo? Where's Waldo?" he joked, invoking the image of the cartoon character hidden in a picture and the game in which he must be found in 60 seconds.
Sparks also flew in the corridors of the Centre Block, where London, Ont., Liberal MP Pat O'Brien and government Whip Karen Redman were side by side in duelling scrums.
Mr. O'Brien, who has vowed to fight as hard as he can to defeat the bill, accused the Whip's office of putting pressure on MPs who oppose the new legislation, telling them to stay away during the vote.
"Yesterday, two of my Liberal colleagues . . . indicated to me personally that it was suggested to them by the Whip's staff, an unnamed person in the Whip's staff, that they consider taking a walk at the time of the vote. In other words, miss the vote," he said, refusing to name the two.
Said Ms. Redman: "We are not having those conversations. What we are having is ongoing dialogue with members because we need to count noses, and as everybody knows that is part of my office's job."
She refused to give the count but predicted the government would win.
Meanwhile, the hero of the caucus for those who support the legislation was another Ontario MP and former Chrétien cabinet minister, Don Boudria.
According to an insider, Mr. Boudria made an impassioned speech about how difficult it was for him to decide that he must support the legislation.
"He said he had to really weigh it out in his mind as a grandfather, as a Catholic from rural eastern Ontario, but that he has come around to it," the caucus insider said.