The Anglican Journal reporting on the meeting of the Council of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada in an article entitled “Bishops explain same-sex marriage statement to CoGS“:
Bishop John Chapman, of the diocese of Ottawa, expressed frustration over what he said was an attempt on the part of some bishops to “blackmail” other bishops into choosing between the unity of the church and the dictates of their consciences. “A couple [of bishops] made it pretty clear that if this motion were to pass, they would seriously question their membership in the Anglican Church of Canada,” said Chapman, who told CoGS he was voting in favour of the resolution. “I didn’t hear anybody say, ‘If this doesn’t pass, our membership is questionable.’”
From the same article:
…a week before its meeting, CoGS was informed by the House of Bishops it is “not likely” that the motion to allow same-sex marriage will pass with the required two-thirds majority in the Order of Bishops.
Speaking before CoGS members, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada and chair of CoGS, acknowledged that reactions to the bishops’ statement have ranged from “gracious to vitriolic.”
At the January primates gathering Hiltz convinced the primates not to consequent his province the same way they consequented The Episcopal Church. He argued Anglican Church of Canada was only considering marriage equality whereas The Episcopal Church had adopted it.