Graham pleads with Liberals to uphold same-sex marriage
By KIM LUNMAN
With a report from Jane Taber
Thursday, June 12, 2003 - Page A1
OTTAWA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham made an impassioned plea to the Liberal government yesterday to "live in the 21st century" and accept court rulings giving gay couples the right to marry.
An emotional Mr. Graham told the caucus at its weekly meeting to "be what Liberals are all about," and support lifting the ban on same-sex marriages, sources said.
Mr. Graham, whose Toronto riding includes the country's highest gay population, urged the government not to appeal Tuesday's ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal, which makes the marriages legal for the first time in Canada.
British Columbia and Quebec courts have also found that the current law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"It's about time we go in the same direction as the Charter," and "act like we live in the 21st century," a source said Mr. Graham told Liberal MPs.
Sources said Mr. Graham's plea met with mixed reaction.
He told reporters later that he is "clearly in favour of same-sex marriages," but said it is up to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon to decide whether to appeal the case.
"I'm confident he'll make the right decision."
Mr. Cauchon said it was too early for the government to decide whether it would appeal the ruling.
"It's a very serious matter and important issue," he said. "What we're doing now is we're reviewing the judgment."
It's not entirely clear what the government's response will mean for the gay couples who have already been married in Ontario. "Those marriages are indeed legal for the time being," Mr. Cauchon said.
Gay-rights issues are expected to dominate the final days of the spring session of Parliament. Next week, MPs are scheduled to vote on a private member's bill by gay Vancouver MP Svend Robinson, which would include sexual orientation in hate-crimes legislation. That bill has drawn criticism from religious groups and MPs who say it could make the Bible hate literature.
Ottawa is still waiting to review a parliamentary report on the issue of same-sex marriages due this month.
The all-party justice committee of MPs is also divided on the topic. Ontario Liberal MP Derek Lee introduced a motion to be debated at a committee meeting today to give the federal government direction on how to act on the issue before its final report is completed.
"The clock is running out," Mr. Lee said. "I don't envy Mr. Cauchon. . . . We're probably as divided as Canadians are on this."
The committee has travelled across Canada and heard from 600 witnesses in response to a request by Mr. Cauchon to address the issue in light of a previous court ruling that gave the government two years to respond.
The latest court ruling is effective immediately and puts even more pressure on Ottawa to act. Mr. Cauchon has until June 30 to decide whether to appeal the B.C. court ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada.
NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose party supports same-sex marriage, urged the federal government to finally address the topic instead of leaving it up to judges.
"It's time for the Alliance, for the Liberals, for the Tories to come clean on a position for same-sex marriage. It shouldn't have to be up to couples to spend thousands of dollars going off to court when Canadians clearly support the idea they should be able to be married like anyone else."
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was silent on the issue as he left the caucus meeting.
Liberal leadership candidates John Manley, Sheila Copps and front-runner Paul Martin have all recently expressed support for same-sex marriage. "If it's a question of rights, it's settled," Mr. Martin said while campaigning in Quebec City yesterday. He said the federal government can't prolong discrimination toward homosexual couples who want to marry. "We can't discriminate between Canadians; it's a question of rights," Mr. Martin said.
Canadians' views
939 respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with gays and lesbians being allowed to marry:
Agree Disagree
Newfoundland 56% 36%
PEI 54% 39%
Nova Scotia 62% 35%
New Brunswick 52% 41%
Quebec 58% 36%
Ontario 52% 44%
Manitoba 58% 38%
Saskatchewan 40% 52%
Alberta 44% 53%
British Columbia 57% 39%
Note: The missing percentages are the undecided
SOURCE: Centre for Research and Information on Canada