Canadian Government Caves In On Key Gay Marriage Issue

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/12/121404canMarr.htm

The government of Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin says it remains committed to passing same-sex marriage legislation but if the bill is passed gay couples in many of areas of the country may be hard pressed to find someone to conduct the ceremony following an announcement Tuesday.

Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said that the legislation will contain a clause that lets civic officials who do not approve of same-sex marriage to refuse to conduct ceremonies.

The move is seen as a major concession to some members of the ruling Liberal Party who oppose gay marriage. It is also seen as an olive branch to the opposition Conservatives who have vowed a fight in the House of Commons.



I would rant and rave against this but at least people in Canada have the option of getting married--I'm sure that the couples that want to get married can find someone to marry them.

[justinsb]

1. I'm sure they can too

and, if you were a gay person getting married would you really want the ceremony performed by someone who didn't think you should be getting married? Or someone who was downright hostile to gays? I don't think this is going to be much of an issue really.

[davidinalameda]

2. they're government employees

they shouldn't be imposing their personal beliefs into their job

[queerart]

4. How Right You Are My Friend!

>>they shouldn't be imposing their personal beliefs into their job


What if it was someone Queer that was in charge, and decided "WHO" got married?

and they didn't agree "straights" should be able to have Marriage Rights preformed?

That would be OK, right?

What if the person in charge is a "Satanist", and for them to marry someone they wanted to say "In The Name Of Satan, I Now Pronounce You Man & Wife"

That should be OK, right?

and I could go on and on... but the point is made... if they take the job, and get paid with public funds that Queers (Yes Folks, It's Our Tax Dollars Too) help contribute too... then they should not be able to pull that crap!

Cut & Dry!

[FaerieWizard]

5. Unfortunately, tell that to George W.

If people honestly believed religion and beliefs shouldn't be a factor in government, then we wouldn't be in the mess we are in the U.S.

Your point about satanists is a good one too. If prayer is allowed back in school, which is probably a coming debate, what will happen when someone wants to say a wiccan prayer or a satanic prayer? We'll soon be learning freedom of religion only applies to certain religions. Just ask the UCC. There is the RIGHT kind of religion and the wrong (liberal) kind.

~The FaerieWizard
http://faeriewizard.faerietales.net

[queerart]

6. You Make Very Good Points....

Much Food For Thought My Friend!

[FaerieWizard]

3. Does it really matter?

They can go elsewhere to be married. Why would you want to remember your wedding day as being presided over by someone who hates you?

It would be like an interracial couple going to a KKK member to be married.

~The Faeriewizard
http://faeriewizard.faerietales.net

[TaleWgnDg]

11. "Does it really matter?" you ask . . . try this on for size:

Some States had State laws that forbade authorized persons from marrying bi-racial couples. Those bi-racial couples couldn't get marriage licenses, either. So you are saying "frig-em" since they could go to some other State or country for a marriage ceremony.

Uuuummmm??? I sure am glad that the United States Supreme Court read, analyzed and interpreted our federal constitution then ruled that all across America miscegenation was illegal. Minority rights against the majority are protected in our U.S. constitution. The tyranny of the majority cannot cower the minority. Yup. Thank goodness for those damn "activist judges," huh?

The case is: Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967) . . . I suggest that you read it.

[livinginphotographs]

7. So someone who has been given a job

On the assumption that they would actually do it can suddenly decide that if they're morally opposed to same-sex marriages, that they don't have to perform them?

Well, hell, I hate quite a few things I have to do at my job. Maybe I'll just declare myself morally opposed to them and sit around playing on the internet all day.

Civic officials who refuse to perform same-sex marriages should be fired. Plain and simple. If they don't like performing same-sex marriages, get another job.

[Brian_Expat]

8. I'm not surprised at this

Martin just wants this issue to go away.

The likely result is that gays will still have to travel to Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver to get married for a while, and eventually the conservative civil employees who take this stance will get let go over time as local authorities lose out on all that marriage licence $$$.

[SnowBack]

9. The up side is...

that most Canadians are now in favour of same sex marriage... So over time the cretins who don't want to perform Gay and Lesbian marriages will retire, and will be replaced with people who aren't living in a cave...

So even though it's absolutely disgusting that Martin is caving this fast, in the long run it isn't going to matter...

[TaleWgnDg]

10. Tell me, does the Canadian government authorize . . . in law . . .

certain people to preside over marriage ceremonies?

For example, the Canadian government may authorize a Justice of the Peace, a clergyman/woman, or some other authorized individual, correct? These individuals, then, sign a marriage certificate after having perform the marriage ceremony, correct? The marriage certificate, thereafter, is filed in a government depository as a legally binding document, correct?

If this is so, as it is in America, then how can your Canadian government then say it's okay to discriminate against whom those individuals may marry? An exception, of course, goes to religion/clergy because they should be able to discriminate if it's within their religious tenets not to marry homosexuals. Others, no. There should be no exception. Instead, their authority to marry people should be revoked/rescinded if they discriminate, period.