MONTREAL — Canadians don't need help from Americans to make up their minds on the issue of gay marriage, an advocate of same-sex marriage said Tuesday.

Right-wing Christian Americans have been telephoning MPs to tell them how to vote on the Civil Marriage Act. One Ontario MP has said she has received 30 calls from Americans in the last 10 days. Evangeline Caldwell, co-ordinator of the Quebec Coalition for Same-Sex Civil Marriage, said at a news conference that Canadian opponents of the bill are already effectively stating their case.

"It's not that people from other nations can't say something but arriving with the cavalry is little bit unnecessary," she said. "We can take care of our own debate and we are doing so."

Caldwell described the efforts of the Americans as "unfortunate."

"Canadians who are opposed to this bill are capable of making their own arguments and they certainly are doing so," she said. "They're being heard."

The Quebec coalition held a news conference to discuss efforts to make sure Bloc Quebecois and Liberal MPs support the legislation.

Caldwell said the importance of a strong support base in Quebec cannot be underestimated, adding there are 15 Quebec MPs, most of them Bloc members, whose votes in favour of same-sex marriage are in question.

"Quebec is critical," she said. "Without Quebec it doesn't happen."

No date has been set for a vote in the House of Commons but 154 votes are needed for the legislation to pass.

Liberal David Smith, one of the MPs named by the coalition, was surprised when he was later informed that he was on the list. He said he has been a supporter of the legislation "since Day 1."

"I've been very clear on this subject," he said in a telephone interview from Ottawa, noting he had discussed the issue thoroughly with his constituents.

"This is what I believe the people from my riding want and I will represent them in the House of Commons," said Smith, who represents the Quebec riding of Pontiac.

Asked if he had been contacted by any Americans, he said his attention is focused on communication from constituents.

"If it doesn't come from the people in my riding, I don't respond to that," he said.

Claude Cote, a member of gay-rights lobby group Egale Canada, said the Americans are throwing considerable resources into the Canadian debate.

"There's a lot of money coming in from the United States to Canada," he said. "There's hundreds of thousands of dollars being sent from the U.S. by the Republican right to convince MPs to vote against the bill."

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has said he will look at changing Canadian laws to prevent foreign interests from using their money to sway Canadian political debates. But he has conceded there may be little the government can do.

A half-dozen groups opposed to same-sex marriage have said they aren't involved in the campaign and denounced it.

Caldwell reiterated the coalition's position that religious marriage will not be affected by the new law.

"The proposed legislation respects the equality and freedom of religion provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," she said. "It makes civil marriage accessible to all citizens while ensuring that each religion can define who they choose to marry.

In another development, lawyers for the Quebec government are closely examining the proposed law to ensure that clauses referring to religious freedom don't impinge on provincial jurisdiction.

Damir Croteau, an aide to provincial Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoit Pelletier, confirmed to The Canadian Press, the bill is being studied.