Gay Today: World

Canadian Politicians: Marriage is a Heterosexual Affair

By Rex Wockner
International News Report

Canada's House of Commons voted 216-55 June 8 to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

In an unusual move, the motion was supported by the Liberal government even though it was introduced by the opposition Reform Party.

The vote came three weeks after the Canadian Supreme Court rewrote the definition of the word "spouse" to include gay couples. The 8-1 ruling -- in a lesbian alimony case from Ontario -- could lead to hundreds of provincial and federal laws being revised to delete heterosexist definitions of "spouse."

"This government has no intention of changing the definition of marriage or legislating same-sex marriage," Justice Minister Anne McLellan said before the vote. "I fundamentally do not believe that it's necessary to change the definition of marriage to accommodate the equality issues around same-sex partners that now face us as Canadians."

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Reform Member of Parliament Gurman Grewal told the House, "The term marriage is a cornerstone of our public policy and ought not to be unilaterally changed by the courts, by bureaucrats or by the cabinet behind closed doors."

Openly gay MPs Svend Robinson and Real Menard called the vote homophobic.

Openly-gay MP Svend Robinson

"The Reform Party doesn't believe in equality for gays and lesbians, period," Robinson said.

"We have no choice but to recognize it as discrimination against gay persons," said Menard.

Progressive Conservative MP Peter MacKay said, "I don't believe the institution of marriage is in jeopardy."

The May 20 Supreme Court ruling stated:

"The exclusion of same-sex partners from the benefits of [Ontario's Family Law Act] promotes the view that ... individuals in same-sex relationships generally, are less worthy of recognition and protection. It implies that they are judged to be incapable of forming intimate relationships of economic interdependence as compared to opposite sex couples, without regard to their actual circumstances. [S]uch exclusion perpetuates the disadvantages suffered by individuals in same-sex relationships and contributes to the erasure of their existence."

Meanwhile, a new Angus Reid Group poll released June 9 found that 53 percent of Canadians believe gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to get married. Forty-four percent oppose the idea and three percent had no opinion.

Support was highest in Quebec (61 percent) followed by British Columbia (54 percent), Ontario (53 percent), the Atlantic provinces (48 percent), Alberta (43 percent) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42 percent).

Sixty-six percent of people age 18-34 favor same-sex unions compared with 57 percent of folks age 35-54 and 32 percent of those over 55.

Fifty-nine percent of people with university degrees support gay matrimony while only 38 percent of people who quit high school like the idea.

The survey questioned 1,500 Canadians and is considered accurate to within 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Respondents were also asked about the May 20 Supreme Court ruling. Fifty-six percent supported it and 44 percent opposed it.