Canada 4th Nation to Legalize Gay Marriage

[Johnny E]

Canada 4th Nation to Legalize Gay Marriage

By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press Writer

Wed Jul 20, 2005

TORONTO - Canada legalized gay marriage Wednesday, becoming the world's fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin signed the legislation making it law, hours after it was approved by the Senate late Tuesday night despite strong opposition from Conservatives and religious leaders.

The bill gives homosexual couples the same rights as those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in eight of Canada's 10 provinces and in two of its three territories.

The legislation drafted by Prime Minister Paul Martin's minority Liberal Party government easily passed the Senate, which essentially rubber stamps any bill already passed by the House of Commons, which passed it late last month.

The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain are the only other nations that allow gay marriage nationwide.

The law comes after years of court battles and debate that divided families, religious groups and even political allies. The Roman Catholic Church, the predominant Christian denomination in Canada, has vigorously opposed the legislation.

But Martin, a Roman Catholic, has said that despite anyone's personal beliefs, all Canadians should be granted the same rights to marriage.

Alex Munter, national spokesman for Canadians for Equal Marriage, which has led the debate in favor of the law, was triumphant Wednesday: "It is a signal to the world that Canada is an open and inclusive society that believes in the notion of full citizenship for all."

Churches have expressed concern that their clergy would be compelled to perform same sex ceremonies. The legislation, however, states that the bill only covers civil unions, not religious ones, and no clergy would be forced to perform same-sex ceremonies unless they choose to do so.

Charles McVety, a spokesman for Defend Marriage Canada and president of Canada Christian College, said he was "very sad that the state has invaded the church, breached separation of church and state and redefined a religious word."

McVety vowed his group would work to vote out lawmakers who supported the legislation in the next general elections.

"A new Parliament is going to readdress this issue and common sense ultimately will prevail," McVety said.

In the United States, Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriages; Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.

Though hundreds of foreigners have come to Canada to seek civil ceremonies since gay marriages were first allowed in Ontario and British Columbia in 2003, not all countries or states recognize the unions.

The U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriage, and most states refuse to acknowledge marriage certificates from gay and lesbian couples, regardless of where they wed.

[patricia]

This, IMO, is simply putting their money where their mouth is. Equal rights under the law, spelled out in our Constitution means exactly that. I feel very proud that my country has made this long overdue decision.

[ghost of miles]

Good for Canada! You've got a better national anthem, too.

[BERIGAN]

....You've got a better national anthem, too.

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Ummm, no....it's terrible IMHO.

[GregK]

Good for Canada!    You've got a better national anthem, too.

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uhhh, have you actually heard it?? It's nothing compared to America's!!

[Ed S]

I prefer the Canadian anthem as well.

I hear it at Sabres games

On topic, I say good for Canada as well.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Ed Swinnich

[couw]

The Canadian anthem lacks the music-to-hunt-rabbits-by qualities of the US anthem.

That may be a good thing or a bad thing.

[sal]

I love Canada.

[ghost of miles]

Good for Canada!      You've got a better national anthem, too.

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uhhh, have you actually heard it?? It's nothing compared to America's!!

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I sure have... "O Canada," right? Heard it whenever I watched a baseball game played in Montreal or Toronto. Much preferable to Francis Scott Key's bombast. Look, if we'd gone with "America the Beautiful," I'd agree with you... that's a lovely tune that I wish were our national anthem.

[Alexander]

While the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner" are by F. Scott Key, the tune is only English drinking song, which I think is remarkably apt. One thing I've noticed about our (that is America's) national anthem is that it never actually mentions the country its supposed to be about, and it's probably the only anthem ON EARTH with fuckin' rockets and bombs in it.

I like the suggestion in "Pogo" that we change it to "O, I was eating some chop suey with a lady in St. Looie when I suddenly heard a knocking at the door..."

[Jazzmoose]

I definitely prefer "Oh, Canada" to "The Star Spangled Banner". Particularly if I have to listen to some cute kid or something try to sing it. I can believe it's a drinking song; you'd have to be drunk to think the average person has the range required to sing that thing.

And of course we've heard it Greg; some of us are hockey fans!

[BERIGAN]

...

And of course we've heard it Greg; some of us are hockey fans! 

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Hockey Fans???? Are there still some of them?

[Jazzmoose]

Maybe I should have said "some of us used to be hockey fans, back when the game existed"...

[Johnny E]

To get back on topic, I think the Star Spangled Banner is gay.

[BERIGAN]

To get back on topic, I think the Star Spangled Banner is gay.

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Well, and I think O Canada is gay...perhaps they can marry each other....up in Canada.

[Johnny E]

To get back on topic, I think the Star Spangled Banner is gay.

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Well, and I think O Canada is gay...perhaps they can marry each other....up in Canada.

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I don't think it's gonna happen. The Star Spangeled Banner is a closet case.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Johnny E

[Ed S]

...

And of course we've heard it Greg; some of us are hockey fans!  

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Hockey Fans???? Are there still some of them?

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There were in the neighborhood of 15,000 hockey fans at HSBC Arena in Buffalo for each of 4 minor league hockey games featuring the Rochester Americans of the AHL during the lockout. There definitely are hockey fans - especially in hard core hockey areas like Buffalo.

[Johnny E]

Are they gay?

[Ed S]

Are they gay?

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I can only vouch for my self. I'm not gay, not that there's anything worng with it.

[Jazzmoose]

And I'm a hockey fan, but there may actually be something wrong with that...

[StormP]

ONE GOOSE TWO GEESE

ONE MOOSE TWO MEESE ?

I DON't GET IT?

[Johnny E]

Are the meese gay?

[Jim Alfredson]

Good for Canada. Anyone else find the delicious irony in this gem:

Charles McVety, a spokesman for Defend Marriage Canada and president of Canada Christian College, said he was "very sad that the state has invaded the church, breached separation of church and state and redefined a religious word."

[patricia]

To get back on topic, I think the Star Spangled Banner is gay.

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Well, and I think O Canada is gay...perhaps they can marry each other....up in Canada.

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Now THAT WAS FUNNY and on topic too.

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You may also have heard Canada's National Anthem played the other day when Alexandre Departes aced the gold in both the one and three metre diving world championships. He already held the world tower gold from last year, though he didn't compete in that event this year.

China took silver and bronze. The U.S. didn't hear their anthem, having placed around sixth or so.

There was no strutting by Departes, just embracing the other two competitors from China on the podium, not that there's anything wrong with that.

The anthem sounded great to me.

[Theo]

Well, ours (America's) is just some Al Yankovich re-do of an old British drinking song: And I don't know what that means, ok?