Patrick Wayne "Pat" O'Brien, M.Ed , BA (born January 13, 1948) is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons. Elected as a Liberal, he ended his career in 2005 as the independent Member of Parliament (MP) for London—Fanshawe in London, Ontario. The Master of Education (M.Ed or M.A.E.) is a degree conferred by American institutions for educators moving on in their field. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... The House of Commons (French: Chambre des communes) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the Senate. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... London—Fanshawe is a federal and provincial electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons, and located in the province of Ontario. ... Nickname: Location of London in relation to Middlesex County and the Province of Ontario Coordinates: Country Canada Province Ontario County Middlesex County Settled 1826 as a village Incorporated 1855 as a city Government  - City Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best  - Governing Body London City Council  - MPs Sue Barnes (LPC) Glen Pearson...

O'Brien graduated with an honours Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Western Ontario in 1971, and earned his Master of Education from UWO in 1981. He has served as a high school history teacher and was a member of London City Council from 1982 to 1993. He was also a school trustee from 1980 to 1982. A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... The University of Western Ontario (known as Western, as well as UWO or Western Ontario) is a research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... “M.S.” redirects here. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... London City Council is the governing body of the city of London, Ontario, Canada. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors of a local school district. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

He was elected to Parliament as a candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada in the 1993 election, and was re-elected in the 1997, 2000, and 2004 elections. From 2000 to 2003, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade. The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party. ... Popular vote map with bar graphs showing seat totals in the provinces and territories. ... 36th Parliament The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ... The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of Canada. ... The Canadian federal election, 2004 (more formally, the 38th general election), was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ...

Before leaving the party, Pat O'Brien was often considered as representing the right-wing of the Liberal party. He was one of the fiercest opponents of same-sex marriage in the Liberal caucus, along with Tom Wappel. He has frequently chastised Prime Minister Paul Martin for not allowing a free vote among his Cabinet on Bill C-38, which is the act to legalize same-sex marriage in Canada. He has repeatedly called for the notwithstanding clause to be used to override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which courts have repeatedly ruled requires the government to recognize same-sex marriages. He is also strongly against abortion. Same-sex marriage was legalized across Canada by the Civil Marriage Act enacted on July 20, 2005. ... Thomas William Wappel, MP (born February 9, 1950) is a Canadian Member of Parliament. ... Regions Political culture Foreign relations Other countriesAtlas  Politics Portal      The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the Minister of the Crown who is head of the Government of Canada. ... Paul Edgar Philippe Martin (born August 28, 1938) was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada and a former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. ... The Civil Marriage Act (full title: An Act respecting certain aspects of legal capacity for marriage for civil purposes) was introduced as Bill C-38 in the first session of the 38th Canadian Parliament on February 1, 2005. ... Section Thirty-three of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of the Constitution of Canada. ... The Charter, signed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1981. ...

On June 6, 2005, O'Brien left the Liberal Party to sit as an independent, citing his opposition to same-sex marriage, and his discomfort with the revelations coming out of the Gomery Commission on the sponsorship scandal. June 6 is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Gomery Commission, formally the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, is a federal Canadian commission headed by the retired Justice John Gomery for the purpose of investigating the sponsorship scandal, which involves allegations of corruption within the Canadian government. ... The sponsorship scandal, AdScam, or Sponsorgate, is an ongoing scandal that came as a result of a Canadian federal government sponsorship program in the province of Quebec and involving the Liberal Party of Canada (mostly its Quebec branch), which was in power since 1993 up to 2005. ...

On June 14, O'Brien issued an ultimatum to the government, indicating that he and an anonymous Liberal MP would vote against the government in a series of confidence votes that evening unless the same-sex marriage bill is delayed until the fall session of Parliament. June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

However, the Liberals went on to survive the confidence votes and eventually got the same-sex marriage bill passed in the summer session of parliament.

In the fall of 2005, O'Brien announced that he and a former Conservative MP are founding an advocacy group to try to reverse the legalization of same-sex marriage. The Honourable Dr. Grant Hill, PC , MD (born September 20, 1943) was a Canadian Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada (2004), and a former member of the Canadian Alliance (2000-2004) and the Reform Party of Canada (1993-2000). ...

O'Brien has stated that up to 90% of his constituents were opposed to same-sex marriage, and in the 2004 election, he deafeated New Democrat candidate Irene Mathyssen by over 3000 votes, a supporter of same sex marriage. In the 2006 election, although he did not run, he endorsed a Conservative that opposed same-sex marriage -- this time, Mathyssen won the riding. The Canadian federal election, 2004 (more formally, the 38th general election), was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ... The New Democratic Party (NPD; Nouveau Parti démocratique in French) is a political party in Canada with a progressive social democratic philosophy that contests elections at both the federal and provincial levels. ... Irene Mathyssen (born August 16, 1951 in London, Ontario) is a Canadian politician. ... Rendition of party representation in the 39th Canadian parliament decided by this election. ...

External links

• his web page
• Political Biography from the Library of Parliament