Canada's Supreme Court approves gay marriage legislation
OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada's Supreme Court ruled that government plans to allow same-sex marriage were constitutional, in a landmark ruling in the long battle for equal rights for gays and lesbians. The government had asked the court to examine its bill before it enters parliament, a step expected to follow early next year. The court ruled however that religious officials could not be compelled to marry same sex couples, if they believed the practice infringed their religious beliefs. While the government was waiting for a judgement before changing federal law on same-sex marriage, courts in six Canadian provinces and one territory had already ruled that same-sex marriage was legal. The court was posed four questions by the government : - Is parliament allowed to change same sex marriage laws? - Is the proposal constitutional? - Does freedom of religion permit priests to refuse to marry gay couples? - Is the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and woman also constitutional. The court responded "Yes" to each of the first three questions, but exercised its right not to issue a ruling on the fourth question. The final inquiry was motivated by a desire to standardise law between any provinces which ruled that marriage was a state between a man and a woman. -- www.gaybombay.info ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $4.98 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Q7_YsB/neXJAA/yQLSAA/WfTolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Group Site: http://www.gaybombay.info ========================== NEW CLASSIFIEDS SECTION SEEKING FRIENDS? VISIT www.gaybombay.info click on classified section and type your message in the post section once the link opens This message was posted to the gay_bombay Yahoo! Group. Responses to messages (by clicking "Reply") will also be posted on the eGroup and sent to all members. If you'd like to respond privately to the author of any message then please compose and send a new email message to the author's email address. For Parties and evenets go to: http://calendar.yahoo.com/YYY,04497/srt,0/gaybombaygroup/?v=42&POS= Post:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Digest Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] No Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Individual Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact Us:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives are at http://www.mail-archive.com/gay_bombay%40yahoogroups.com/maillist.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gay_bombay/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
