annyInRain
资深人士
- 注册
- 2002-10-09
- 消息
- 996
- 荣誉分数
- 290
- 声望点数
- 223
Canadian Political Leaders Support Gay Marriage
by Ben Thompson
365Gay.com Newscenter
Ottawa Bureau
Posted: May 28, 2003 12:02 a.m. ET
(Ottawa) All three contenders for the leadership of the governing Liberals plus the leaders of three of the four opposition parties in Canada's parliament Tuesday expressed their unequivocal support for providing equal marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Only the opposition Canadian Alliance Party has refused to endorse legalizing gay marriage.
At a Parliament Hill news conference Tuesday representatives of the Liberals, Tories, New Democrats, and Bloc Quebecois released statements supporting marriage.
Paul Martin the man likely to succeed the retiring Jean Chretien as Prime Minister said in a statement that if the Court of Appeal in Ontario follows the recent ruling by the British Columbia high court (story) that denying marriage to gays and lesbians is unconstitutional " Parliament should act."
Martin pledged he would not take the issue to the Supreme Court of Canada if there is a favorable ruling in Ontario. But he also said that "any legislation should affirm that no church, synagogue, mosque or religious institution can be forced to act outside its faith.”
Martin is the frontrunner in the Liberal leadership race. Fellow contender, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps said she would not wait for a decision in the Ontario court if she were Prime Minister.
"The right of same-sex couples to marry is a critical issue for me because it is a fundamental issue of human rights. It is a fundamental test of leadership. I believe that the role of the Leader of the Liberal Party, the role of the Prime Minister is to stand up for minorities."
The third person running for the leadership, John Manley, the Deputy PM also issued a statement supporting legislation granting gay marriage.
With a Liberal majority in the House of Commons, the next leader of the party will automatically become Prime Minister.
Legalizing gay marriage also has the support of three of the four opposition parties, ensuring passage if legislation is brought in.
Tory leader Joe Clark, New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe issued statements Tuesday saying they would support a gay marriage bill if it were introduced by the Liberal government.
“With three out of four Opposition parties supporting equal marriage for same-sex couples, together with all Liberal leadership candidates, it is clear that discrimination against same-sex couples’ right to marry will soon be a thing of the past,” affirmed John Fisher, Director of Advocacy for Egale Canada, the country's national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered rights organization.
“This unprecedented support from our national leaders confirms the unanimous judgments of courts across Canada, and recent opinion polls which demonstrate majority support amongst Canadians for providing same-sex couples with the equal right to marry.”
The House of Commons Justice and Human Rights Committee has been looking at various ways of recognizing gay and lesbian relationships. The proposals have included granting civil unions, allowing gay marriage, and having the government get out of regulating marriage altogether.
The committee will deliver its report to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon next month. Meanwhile, Cauchon has not said whether he will appeal the BC decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
“We’re confident that Minister Cauchon will heed the clear directions of the Courts, the public, party leaders and his own peers and will introduce legislation to affirm the equal right of same-sex couples to marry,” said Gilles Marchildon, Egale's Executive Director. “Canadians deserve nothing less than full equality.”
by Ben Thompson
365Gay.com Newscenter
Ottawa Bureau
Posted: May 28, 2003 12:02 a.m. ET
(Ottawa) All three contenders for the leadership of the governing Liberals plus the leaders of three of the four opposition parties in Canada's parliament Tuesday expressed their unequivocal support for providing equal marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Only the opposition Canadian Alliance Party has refused to endorse legalizing gay marriage.
At a Parliament Hill news conference Tuesday representatives of the Liberals, Tories, New Democrats, and Bloc Quebecois released statements supporting marriage.
Paul Martin the man likely to succeed the retiring Jean Chretien as Prime Minister said in a statement that if the Court of Appeal in Ontario follows the recent ruling by the British Columbia high court (story) that denying marriage to gays and lesbians is unconstitutional " Parliament should act."
Martin pledged he would not take the issue to the Supreme Court of Canada if there is a favorable ruling in Ontario. But he also said that "any legislation should affirm that no church, synagogue, mosque or religious institution can be forced to act outside its faith.”
Martin is the frontrunner in the Liberal leadership race. Fellow contender, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps said she would not wait for a decision in the Ontario court if she were Prime Minister.
"The right of same-sex couples to marry is a critical issue for me because it is a fundamental issue of human rights. It is a fundamental test of leadership. I believe that the role of the Leader of the Liberal Party, the role of the Prime Minister is to stand up for minorities."
The third person running for the leadership, John Manley, the Deputy PM also issued a statement supporting legislation granting gay marriage.
With a Liberal majority in the House of Commons, the next leader of the party will automatically become Prime Minister.
Legalizing gay marriage also has the support of three of the four opposition parties, ensuring passage if legislation is brought in.
Tory leader Joe Clark, New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe issued statements Tuesday saying they would support a gay marriage bill if it were introduced by the Liberal government.
“With three out of four Opposition parties supporting equal marriage for same-sex couples, together with all Liberal leadership candidates, it is clear that discrimination against same-sex couples’ right to marry will soon be a thing of the past,” affirmed John Fisher, Director of Advocacy for Egale Canada, the country's national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered rights organization.
“This unprecedented support from our national leaders confirms the unanimous judgments of courts across Canada, and recent opinion polls which demonstrate majority support amongst Canadians for providing same-sex couples with the equal right to marry.”
The House of Commons Justice and Human Rights Committee has been looking at various ways of recognizing gay and lesbian relationships. The proposals have included granting civil unions, allowing gay marriage, and having the government get out of regulating marriage altogether.
The committee will deliver its report to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon next month. Meanwhile, Cauchon has not said whether he will appeal the BC decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
“We’re confident that Minister Cauchon will heed the clear directions of the Courts, the public, party leaders and his own peers and will introduce legislation to affirm the equal right of same-sex couples to marry,” said Gilles Marchildon, Egale's Executive Director. “Canadians deserve nothing less than full equality.”
