Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says the government's same-sex legislation will make it through the House of Commons only because of support from the Bloc Québécois, and that, says Harper, means the legislation "lacks legitimacy."

A vote on the bill is expected Tuesday evening.

BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe immediately pounced on Harper's remarks, saying his party has as much legitimacy as the Conservatives.

Stephen Harper

On his way into question period on Monday, Harper told reporters that the majority of federalist MPs will vote against the bill that extends the right to marry to gays and lesbians. He warned that the Liberals will face a backlash from voters outside Quebec over the bill.

"It makes it an issue of Quebec versus Canada. Most Canadians have a skeptical view of Pequistes breaking up the country," said Conservative deputy leader Peter MacKay.

Harper, who has spent months wooing voters who oppose same-sex marriage for religious or cultural reasons, found a new target as MPs returned to Ottawa for the sole purpose of approving legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler.

Harper branded Bill C-38 the product of an illegitimate union. "I think because this bill is only being passed with the support of the BQ, I think it will lack legitimacy with most Canadians. The truth is most federalist MPs will oppose this legislation," he said.

Barely a month ago Harper was working hand-in-hand with the BQ to defeat the Liberal budget, in a move that would have brought down the government.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler pointed out the irony.

Gilles Duceppe

"It was all right to seek their support for measures he wanted and suddenly they're illegitimate when it comes to Bill C-38. I find that surprising and even somewhat hypocritical," said Cotler.

BQ MP Richard Marceau says equating an issue of equality rights with Quebec separation is unbelievable.

"I would say to Stephen Harper, 'Stephen take a break you need one. Forget the barbecues, you need to go home and relax.'"

NDP Leader Jack Layton was scathing in his criticism. "What Harper is saying is not only does he deny rights to gays and lesbians but also to Quebecers."

Public Works Minister Scott Brison called it "another case of Stephen Harper trying to divide Canadians and pit one group against another. For him to imply that somehow federalists are not as supportive of human rights and equality as separatists is truly offensive."

On Monday evening MPs approved a motion to limit debate on the same-sex legislation. It means further debate will be restricted to about eight more hours.

The bill will now probably come up for a vote sometime on Tuesday.

The Conservatives insist Harper is raising a legitimate issue with the majority of Canadians living outside Quebec and that he will continue to appeal to ordinary Canadians opposed to same-sex marriage.

The Conservatives concede they don't have the numbers to block the same-sex marriage bill in the Commons, but they have tabled a number of amendments intended to preserve marriage as the exclusive union of a man and a woman.

Conservative MP Ken Epp contrasted same-sex marriage to the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the United States.

"Blacks in the United States," said Epp, "never asked to be called white. They just wanted the same rights." Epp then went on to say that women in Canada sought equal rights without demanding to be called men.

"And so I ask the question in this struggle for so-called equality for same-sex couple, why do they want to use the word that describes heterosexual marriage and has for millennia?"

The bill would legalize same-sex marriage across the country. A number of court decisions in the past few years have allowed such marriages to be performed in eight provinces and one territory.

The NDP and Bloc support the bill. The Liberals are allowing backbench MPs to vote with their consciences, and as many as 34 Liberals may vote against it.

All but four members of the Conservative caucus are opposed to the bill.