Same sex marriage is now officially accepted on the federal level:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...LAC/20050629/SAMESEX29N/TPNational/TopStories
OTTAWA -- Canada is on its way to becoming the third country in the world to legalize marriages between couples of the same sex after the House of Commons gave its final approval last night in a 158-133 vote. The vote capped an intense and divisive two-year Commons battle that maintained its political drama to the end, as Liberal minister Joe Comuzzi resigned from cabinet yesterday because he could not support his government's move.
Natural Resources Minister John Efford did not show up for the vote; he has been ill with diabetes but is also known to have conflicts with same-sex marriage.
In the end, 32 Liberals voted against the government and five were absent. On the other side of the House, three Conservatives voted for the same-sex marriage bill.
When the final vote was taken, one side of the visitors' gallery erupted into applause.
Bloc MP Réal Ménard, who is gay, has been one of the leading proponents of the bill within his party and within Parliament.
"It was a very important vote tonight," he said as his eyes welled with tears. "If you are gay, [no matter] who you are, whatever are your rights, you have the right to be in love." Then he said, "And I am very proud today for what we have done."
Conservative Vic Toews, who has fervently opposed same-sex marriage, said he does not think the issue is closed. "There are still a lot of concerns about how effective this bill is going to be in terms of protecting religious freedoms," he said. "What I have heard from people right across this country is, they're very unhappy with the way the Liberal government has rammed this matter through."
The passage of the same-sex legislation also brought the curtain down on one of the most tumultuous sessions of Parliament in recent history.
Using obscure procedural manoeuvres and even a direct appeal to the public, Prime Minister Paul Martin managed to keep his government afloat in spite of a persistent attempt by the Conservatives and Bloc to force an election over allegations of corruption exposed by the Gomery inquiry into the sponsorship scandal.
All that remains for the same-sex bill to become law is debate in the Senate, where Liberals vastly outnumber the opposition Conservatives and are expected to pass the bill early next month.
Belgium and the Netherlands are the only two countries to have legalized same-sex marriage, but Spain is on the verge of passing a similar law that will soon be put to the King for final approval.
Alex Munter, of Canadians for Equal Marriage, praised last night's vote, as well as gay and lesbian Canadians who have long advocated for gay rights. "This is a proud and exciting day to be a Canadian. Just days before the Canada Day holiday, we are affirming once again our worldwide reputation as a country that is open, inclusive and welcoming," he said.
The Liberals outnumber the opposition in the Senate nearly three to one, with 64 Liberals, 22 Conservatives, five Progressive Conservatives, five independents and one New Democrat. The bill will be referred to the Senate's legal and constitutional affairs committee as early as today, where Conservatives are vowing to oppose it.
Conservative Senator Anne Cools, who is on the committee and opposes the bill, said she expects the debate to take "weeks not days," but the Liberals will ultimately shut it down and pass the bill."
Jack Austin, the Government House Leader in the Senate, has told senators to plan on being in Ottawa for the next two weeks to pass the same-sex-marriage legislation and the government's two budget bills.
He said yesterday the government will allow witnesses to be heard in committee and will limit debate if it appears the opposition is deliberately dragging it out. The Conservatives are vowing to put forward amendments in the Senate, which would block the bill until fall, but Mr. Austin said it is highly unlikely the Liberal majority would accept amendments. With a few exceptions, he said, Liberal senators will vote for the same-sex bill.
Stephen Harper, the Conservative Leader who has been consistent in his opposition to same-sex marriage, said last night's vote would not put the issue to rest.
"I think it will be an issue to come to Canadians in the next election and there will be a chance to revisit this in a future Parliament," he said.
"It's in our program and we'll obviously ask the next Parliament their views on this issue. My views haven't changed because Mr. Martin made a deal with the Bloc."
But Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said repealing the law would be a difficult and would require overriding rights guaranteed in the Constitution.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...LAC/20050629/SAMESEX29N/TPNational/TopStories
OTTAWA -- Canada is on its way to becoming the third country in the world to legalize marriages between couples of the same sex after the House of Commons gave its final approval last night in a 158-133 vote. The vote capped an intense and divisive two-year Commons battle that maintained its political drama to the end, as Liberal minister Joe Comuzzi resigned from cabinet yesterday because he could not support his government's move.
Natural Resources Minister John Efford did not show up for the vote; he has been ill with diabetes but is also known to have conflicts with same-sex marriage.
In the end, 32 Liberals voted against the government and five were absent. On the other side of the House, three Conservatives voted for the same-sex marriage bill.
When the final vote was taken, one side of the visitors' gallery erupted into applause.
Bloc MP Réal Ménard, who is gay, has been one of the leading proponents of the bill within his party and within Parliament.
"It was a very important vote tonight," he said as his eyes welled with tears. "If you are gay, [no matter] who you are, whatever are your rights, you have the right to be in love." Then he said, "And I am very proud today for what we have done."
Conservative Vic Toews, who has fervently opposed same-sex marriage, said he does not think the issue is closed. "There are still a lot of concerns about how effective this bill is going to be in terms of protecting religious freedoms," he said. "What I have heard from people right across this country is, they're very unhappy with the way the Liberal government has rammed this matter through."
The passage of the same-sex legislation also brought the curtain down on one of the most tumultuous sessions of Parliament in recent history.
Using obscure procedural manoeuvres and even a direct appeal to the public, Prime Minister Paul Martin managed to keep his government afloat in spite of a persistent attempt by the Conservatives and Bloc to force an election over allegations of corruption exposed by the Gomery inquiry into the sponsorship scandal.
All that remains for the same-sex bill to become law is debate in the Senate, where Liberals vastly outnumber the opposition Conservatives and are expected to pass the bill early next month.
Belgium and the Netherlands are the only two countries to have legalized same-sex marriage, but Spain is on the verge of passing a similar law that will soon be put to the King for final approval.
Alex Munter, of Canadians for Equal Marriage, praised last night's vote, as well as gay and lesbian Canadians who have long advocated for gay rights. "This is a proud and exciting day to be a Canadian. Just days before the Canada Day holiday, we are affirming once again our worldwide reputation as a country that is open, inclusive and welcoming," he said.
The Liberals outnumber the opposition in the Senate nearly three to one, with 64 Liberals, 22 Conservatives, five Progressive Conservatives, five independents and one New Democrat. The bill will be referred to the Senate's legal and constitutional affairs committee as early as today, where Conservatives are vowing to oppose it.
Conservative Senator Anne Cools, who is on the committee and opposes the bill, said she expects the debate to take "weeks not days," but the Liberals will ultimately shut it down and pass the bill."
Jack Austin, the Government House Leader in the Senate, has told senators to plan on being in Ottawa for the next two weeks to pass the same-sex-marriage legislation and the government's two budget bills.
He said yesterday the government will allow witnesses to be heard in committee and will limit debate if it appears the opposition is deliberately dragging it out. The Conservatives are vowing to put forward amendments in the Senate, which would block the bill until fall, but Mr. Austin said it is highly unlikely the Liberal majority would accept amendments. With a few exceptions, he said, Liberal senators will vote for the same-sex bill.
Stephen Harper, the Conservative Leader who has been consistent in his opposition to same-sex marriage, said last night's vote would not put the issue to rest.
"I think it will be an issue to come to Canadians in the next election and there will be a chance to revisit this in a future Parliament," he said.
"It's in our program and we'll obviously ask the next Parliament their views on this issue. My views haven't changed because Mr. Martin made a deal with the Bloc."
But Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said repealing the law would be a difficult and would require overriding rights guaranteed in the Constitution.
