The Black Vault

greeney2 wrote:Thats not your autobiography is it Ninor?

You said legal in Ontario, what about all the other Canadian provinces? Does each Province have its own laws like our states have their own laws, or are they all covered under one universal Candian legal system?

On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act. Court decisions, starting in 2003, each already legalized same-sex marriage in eight out of ten provinces and one of three territories, whose residents comprised about 90% of Canada's population. Before passage of the Act, more than 3,000 same-sex couples had already married in these areas.[1] Most legal benefits commonly associated with marriage had been extended to cohabiting same-sex couples since 1999.

The Civil Marriage Act was introduced by Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government in the Canadian House of Commons on February 1, 2005 as Bill C-38. It was passed by the House of Commons on June 28, 2005, by the Senate on July 19, 2005, and it received Royal Assent the following day. On December 7, 2006, the House of Commons effectively reaffirmed the legislation by a vote of 175 to 123, defeating a Conservative government motion to examine the matter again. This was the third vote supporting same-sex marriage taken by three Parliaments under three Prime Ministers in three different years.

Same-sex marriage was legally recognized in the provinces and territories as of the following dates:

* 10 June 2003: Ontario
* 8 July 2003: British Columbia
* 16 March 2004: Quebec
* 14 July 2004: Yukon territory
* 16 September 2004: Manitoba
* 24 September 2004: Nova Scotia
* 5 November 2004: Saskatchewan
* 21 December 2004: Newfoundland and Labrador
* 23 June 2005: New Brunswick
* 20 July 2005 (Civil Marriage Act): Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut territory, and the Northwest Territories

Note that in some of these cases, the marriage was in fact legal at an earlier date (for example, the Ontario ruling held that marriages performed in January 2001 were legal when performed), but the legality was questioned. As of the given dates, the legality was authoritatively established.

The decision by the Ontario government to recognize the marriage that took place in Toronto, Ontario on January 14, 2001, makes Canada the first country in the world to have a same-sex marriage (Netherlands, April 2001 and Belgium January 2003.)

I am straight, for the record, and always have been, but have thoughts on this that I am never afraid to share.

What is it that affects you about it? I mean, other than you're not gay, and you may be uncomfortable seeing two guys kissing, what does it really matter?

blackvault wrote:Here is my quick response to those who oppose gay marriage.

What is it that affects you about it? I mean, other than you're not gay, and you may be uncomfortable seeing two guys kissing, what does it really matter?

I work in entertainment, so I see gay people all the time. I remember when marriage was legal here in California for a short time and had a good friend get married. He was one of the lucky ones to be able to do it... I saw how happy he was to finally be able to do what he wanted to do.

How did that really affect anyone here? I understand some have religious disagreements, but that's a different can of worms. In regards to this debate... how does it really make a difference in your life?

John