News & Politics - Province of Manitoba legalizes same sex marriages...

**Mio** · 09-17-2004, 04:46 PM

Yesterday, the Government of Manitoba legalized same sex marriages. Here in Winnipeg, the line up at the statistics Canada building downtown, same sex couples showed up in droves to apply for their marriage certificates.

It's about time that the governments do this. We live in a new world, times have changed and it's about time they don't regulate with religion.

Wiva · 09-17-2004, 05:14 PM

*applauds*

*Ledi* · 09-17-2004, 06:34 PM

And that is why I'm proud to be a Canadian

... of course there's other reasons too though but you know

migamoo · 09-17-2004, 09:39 PM

At least some people can see the light. I don't get why some people feel such bigotry towards someone just because they are gay. I think they have the same right to marry as heterosexuals do.

And also, if there's a news article floating around, can you post it?

Ashley

LaraCroft01 · 09-17-2004, 10:25 PM

YAY!!! I'm so happy with my country right now!

Ashely ITA with you, I think they should have the same rights as hetrosexuals. Just cause they're gay doesn't mean they have any less right.

Cress · 09-18-2004, 12:30 AM

Hooray!

**Mio** · 09-18-2004, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fieryangel
At least some people can see the light. I don't get why some people feel such bigotry towards someone just because they are gay. I think they have the same right to marry as heterosexuals do.

And also, if there's a news article floating around, can you post it?

Ashley

Sure!

Quote:

Manitoba court rules in favour of gay marriage, unopposed by Ottawa
(Yahoo! Canada)
MICHELLE MACAFEE

WINNIPEG (CP) - Two days before their long-planned United Church nuptials, Laura Fouhse and Jordan Cantwell picked up an unexpected wedding present Thursday - a marriage licence granted just hours after a Manitoba judge declared same-sex unions legal.

"It's amazing, like whew!" Cantwell said after receiving the licence at a downtown vital statistics office. Cantwell said she and Fouhse, both ministers in the United Church, have been planning their wedding since February.

But they are overjoyed with the timing of a court decision that declared the province's previous definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman to be unconstitutional.

Instead, Justice Douglas Yard of Court of Queen's Bench ordered the definition of marriage to be "reformulated to mean a voluntary union for life of two persons at the exclusion of all others."

"I'm extremely pleased that our wedding this weekend will not only be celebrated and witnessed by our friends and family and by God in the sanctity of our church, but it will also be recognized by our government," said Fouhse.

"It just makes the whole event seem so much more complete."

Yard's ruling followed an unprecedented decision by the federal government not to oppose, or ask for an adjournment of, a same-sex marriage lawsuit in Canada.

The Manitoba government also chose not to fight the case, which was brought forward last month by Fouhse and Cantwell and two other gay couples.

The province is the fifth jurisdiction, behind the Yukon, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, to legalize same-sex marriage.

A similar case is to be heard in Nova Scotia this fall.

Yard said he based his decision on the "overwhelming and cumulative effect" of court rulings across Canada, including three different Court of Appeal decisions, that found the traditional definition of marriage violates the equality provision of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

He described the precedents as "elegant, cogent and compelling."

While Yard's ruling was met with applause, hugs and tears of joy among the many supporters crowded into the small courtroom, opponents were quick to express their disappointment.

Roman Catholic Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg called the traditional definition of marriage "a foundational principle of our society."

"It is difficult to understand how the unique importance of marriage to both children and society will not be gravely undermined by including in the definition of marriage unions which are not equipped for reproduction," Weisgerber said in a statement.

Advocates of same-sex marriage say they expect similar cases to be filed in all remaining jurisdictions in Canada.

However, they support the federal government's decision to refer its proposed same-sex marriage legislation to the Supreme Court of Canada. The case will be heard Oct. 6.

While the current provincial court decisions on the issue will be influential for the Supreme Court, the highest court's opinion is key to setting national precedent, said Karen Busby, a constitutional law professor and member of the gay rights lobby group Egale.

"Theoretically a different federal government could come along and pass federal law to take away the right to same-sex marriage," said Busby.

"If we have the Supreme Court of Canada saying it's unconstitutional not to permit same-sex marriages, then it's harder for the federal government to pass legislation that goes in the other direction."

A federal Justice Department (news - web sites) spokeswoman downplayed the government's decision to no longer ask for adjournments in provincial cases.

Renee Filiatrault said Ottawa's position has been consistent. The various court decisions across Canada only strengthen the government's argument that a reference by the Supreme Court of Canada would ensure all Canadians are treated equally, she added.

The federal government has jurisdiction over the definition of marriage. It had argued, to no avail, against changing it in cases in B.C., Ontario and Quebec.

In the Yukon this year, the federal government didn't oppose the case, but failed in a bid for an adjournment pending the Supreme Court reference.

Manitoba Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh said his government chose not to fight the lawsuit because it wants the federal government to come up with a law that will apply to everyone.

peacecorps2006 · 09-19-2004, 12:27 AM

Canada is truly a great country with lovely open minded people. Canada is moving toward the future, while we Americans are moving backward into discrimination. I live in Louisiana. So, today we had our statewide election on the amendment banning same-sex marriage. And I'm sure that a majority of the voters have voted for the ban. My state is just de-evolving. Pretty soons, our state legislature will be ran by a bunch of bigots. I have got to move to a counrty like Canda. Open minded-ness and free thinking sounds cool.

fetch · 09-19-2004, 07:28 PM

Awesome

Charlize'sAngel · 09-20-2004, 01:28 AM

This is exactly why I'm proud to be Canadian!

Butterflyz · 09-21-2004, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wiva
*applauds*

ditto

I'm Not Your Boy Toy · 09-22-2004, 12:02 AM

huuuuuuge step by Manitoba. hats off to them for gettin the ball rollin

Clash181 · 09-22-2004, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by peacecorps2006
Canada is truly a great country with lovely open minded people. Canada is moving toward the future, while we Americans are moving backward into discrimination. I live in Louisiana. So, today we had our statewide election on the amendment banning same-sex marriage. And I'm sure that a majority of the voters have voted for the ban. My state is just de-evolving. Pretty soons, our state legislature will be ran by a bunch of bigots. I have got to move to a counrty like Canda. Open minded-ness and free thinking sounds cool.

I also live in Louisiana and I wanted to vote against the ban but it lost. It lost by a big margin(something like 4 to 1). Americas supposed to be so free, and I love my country, but it shames me when we do things like that.

Isn't it against the law to outrightly discriminate against someone just because they don't live their lives the way some people think they should?

**Mio** · 09-25-2004, 07:11 PM

On Thursday Nova Scotia's goverment legalized same sex marriages as well. That brings them into play with Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Yukon and B.C.

Littlest Hobo · 10-05-2004, 10:45 PM

I can't remember, was it BC or Ontario that was the first province to legalize same-sex marriages? I want to say it was BC, but that might just be because I'm from BC...


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