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What’s with Harper government’s radio silence on Irish gay marriage?

Surprise! Conservative crickets on Ireland's history gay marriage vote

Talk about Conservative crickets.

Silence appears to be the approach Canada’s Conservative government is taking toward the Republic of Ireland after it became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular referendum.

The absence of any congratulatory words stands in stark contrast to the Obama administration in the United States and David Cameron’s UK government.

Ireland’s own Equality Minister could barely contain his excitement:

And here’s U.S. Vice President Joe Biden: 

And Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives:

Even Britain’s Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, whose government legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, offered words of congratulations. 

In Australia, where same-sex marriage is still not legal, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten celebrated the Irish vote — while Tony Abbott, the Conservative Prime Minister who opposes any change to marriage laws in Australia, took Stephen Harper’s approach and stayed mum.

Here in Canada, Opposition leaders also tweeted in support of the Yes vote:

 Members of the government, on the other hand, appeared to be otherwise engaged:

 

When it came to Ireland’s historic vote, there were only Conservative crickets. 

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