Canada to Make Same-Sex Marriages Legal
The federal government will redefine marriage to allow same-sex unions in Canada, Prime Minister Chretien announced after a cabinet meeting on June 17, 2003.
The federal cabinet has decided not to appeal provincial superior court decisions that say that excluding same-sex marriages violates equality rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The new legislation to legally recognize same-sex marriages is expected to be ready in a matter of weeks.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office stresses that the proposed legislation will also "protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it."
The proposed legislation to allow same-sex marriages will first be referred to the Supreme Court of Canada. After that the legislation will be put to a free vote in the House of Commons, which means Liberal government members of parliament who don't agree with the bill will be able to vote against it.
In Canada the federal government is responsible for defining what constitutes a marriage. Provincial governments are responsible for the administration and procedural requirements of the marriage ceremony and for issuing marriage licenses.
In Ontario, same-sex marriages are already taking place, as couples take advantage of the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling that provided a new definition of marriage as the "voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others."
As a result of the federal government plans to redefine marriage, and the Ontario court ruling, the BC Court of Appeal also gave the go-ahead to same-sex marriages in British Columbia on July 8, 2003.
If the legislation passes, Canada would become the third country in the world to allow same-sex marriages, after Belgium and the Netherlands.
The federal cabinet has decided not to appeal provincial superior court decisions that say that excluding same-sex marriages violates equality rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The new legislation to legally recognize same-sex marriages is expected to be ready in a matter of weeks.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office stresses that the proposed legislation will also "protect the right of churches and religious organizations to sanctify marriage as they define it."
The proposed legislation to allow same-sex marriages will first be referred to the Supreme Court of Canada. After that the legislation will be put to a free vote in the House of Commons, which means Liberal government members of parliament who don't agree with the bill will be able to vote against it.
In Canada the federal government is responsible for defining what constitutes a marriage. Provincial governments are responsible for the administration and procedural requirements of the marriage ceremony and for issuing marriage licenses.
In Ontario, same-sex marriages are already taking place, as couples take advantage of the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling that provided a new definition of marriage as the "voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others."
As a result of the federal government plans to redefine marriage, and the Ontario court ruling, the BC Court of Appeal also gave the go-ahead to same-sex marriages in British Columbia on July 8, 2003.
If the legislation passes, Canada would become the third country in the world to allow same-sex marriages, after Belgium and the Netherlands.
