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Ontario must approve same-sex marriages, judge rules
The Globe and Mail (Canada) | 7/12/02 | ALLISON DUNFIELD

Posted on 07/12/2002 8:55:25 AM PDT by jalisco555

The Ontario Supreme Court said in a landmark decision Friday that same-sex marriages between couples must be registered by the provincial government.

A three-judge panel made the ruling Friday morning in the decision, expected to have ramifications across Canada.

In January, 2001, Rev. Brent Hawkes of the Metropolitan Community Church married two gay couples in front of an audience of 600 people.

However, the city refused to register the two marriages.

Friday's court ruling as a result of a challenge by the Metropolitan Community Church was joined with another constitutional challenge by eight gay couples who have been unable to obtain marriage licences despite going through religious marriage ceremonies.

The couples asked the court to find that governments' refusal to register their marriages violates several provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including equality rights, freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and religion and security of the person, defined as psychological well-being.

Gay couples say they desire to have their marriages made official by certificates.

"We're no longer second-class citizens in this country and the time has come for change. My relationship is validated and nobody can say we're not a real family any more," said Joe Varnell, who sued the provincial government for the right to marry another man after the decision.

As soon as the decision was released, Mr. Varnell and his partner, Kevin Bourassa, shared a celebratory kiss and cried tears of joy.

Mr. Hawkes is expected to speak to the decision around noon along with a number of gay and lesbian rights groups and his lead counsel.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Canada; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: homosexualagenda; homosexuality; marriage; samesexmarriage
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To: goldstategop
Its just a matter of time before the U.S Supremes find there's a constitutional right for Adam and Steve to tie the knot at the altar.

Really? And what happes to Adam and Spot? Or Adam and child? Or Adam and his favorite car?

21 posted on 07/12/2002 9:51:30 AM PDT by balrog666
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To: mitchbert
Until then I'll continue to judge people more by their behavior

Bingo.
Sodomites have been killed off all throughout history. When a nation adopts Sodomy, you know the end is near.
Their behavior is the problem. It's acceptance is being forced on everyone else, whether they like it or not. Neighbors have to live near them who have impressionable kids who might see them.
It's a form of human mental mutation, and the world should see it like it is. No more Marxist propaganda.
I feel they should have left them in the mental institutions until they were completely healed of their mental illness. They've got their wires seriously crossed.

22 posted on 07/12/2002 9:51:35 AM PDT by concerned about politics
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To: LurkedLongEnough
LOL. A friend of mine was telling me about a rabbi up here whose claim to fame is that he married two birds. You bring the checkbook and he'll bring the canopy.
23 posted on 07/12/2002 9:52:11 AM PDT by mitchbert
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To: everyone
Judicial appointments in Canada are ALL political, strongly tenured and without public review. The judicial system here at all levels has been steadily liberalizing since the 1970s.

The chickens are coming hone to roost as a result of Canadian conservatives' failure to unite behind one party and instead bicker among themselves.

24 posted on 07/12/2002 9:53:12 AM PDT by Ipberg
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To: bloodmeridian
Throughout history the "state" (ruling government) has sanctioned martal relationships. This was to ensure consitency of inheritence laws, property ownership, and paternity/maternity.

If same sex couples wish to have a live in relationship they can go and have a co-habitation contract drawn up identifying inheritance rights, health care authority, etc.
25 posted on 07/12/2002 10:09:01 AM PDT by Greeklawyer
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To: concerned about politics
Hmmm. Just think of what the Sodomites have done to the city I live in...San Francisco! 99% in supposedly committed relationships are in open relationships. Most gay men can not be in a relationship with another person very long. Bathhouses and park sex abound. The whole thing makes me ILL. Plus...how about teaching the homo agenda in public and private schools? If you don't like it you're a racist, you're backwards...you're not with it. Makes me want to VOMIT.
26 posted on 07/12/2002 10:11:08 AM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: Claud
I'm coming to the realization that validation is objective numero uno for gays in general.

And isn't that shocking? Why can't these people celebrate their marriages in secret, like heterosexual couples?

The need to be "validated" is common to all humans. When you meet someone who doesn't have that need, watch out. He's a psychopath.

27 posted on 07/12/2002 10:11:25 AM PDT by Fethiye
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To: mitchbert
No YOU'RE WRONG. Sodomites are EVIL period!
28 posted on 07/12/2002 10:11:48 AM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: Fethiye
You've come back after being banned I see.
29 posted on 07/12/2002 10:12:40 AM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: balrog666
And what happes to Adam and Spot?

A couple years ago, I mentioned to my hair dresser that I had gotten my two new kittens fixed. My kittens are a brother and sister.

My hair dresser asked me why I did that as all my others cats were already fixed. I said well having an unfixed male and female would assure me more kittens.

She said "They wouldn't, would they?".

I nearly fell out of the chair, I was so startled. Apparently the animal rightist have assigned so many attributes to animal that she thought they could think and reason and say "Well your my sister, so no sex".

My only response was "Well they are dumb animals."

Because people think like this, Marraige to an animal is not an unlikely scenario, given the level of non-education in this country.

30 posted on 07/12/2002 10:13:02 AM PDT by w1andsodidwe
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To: *Homosexual Agenda; erizona; Khepera; FormerLib
ping
31 posted on 07/12/2002 10:13:59 AM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: grlfrnd
You've come back after being banned I see.

Where did you get the idea I was banned? I just haven't felt like posting in a while. Grlfrnd, I must say, you have a tendency to leap to conclusions.

32 posted on 07/12/2002 10:15:55 AM PDT by Fethiye
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To: grlfrnd
No YOU'RE WRONG. Sodomites are EVIL period!

Umm, right. And all Jews are shysters, all blacks carry knives, all Irish are drunken bums and all Italians are mafioso. No room for individuality here, I suppose.

I tend to reserve the term evil for people who do things like rape, murder and fly airplanes into skyscrapers.

33 posted on 07/12/2002 10:15:57 AM PDT by mitchbert
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To: Greeklawyer
If the churches want to make a strong statement against this court's decision, they can by refusing to act as civil registrars of marriage.

By signing the state's marriage licences, they are tacitly accepting the state's definition of marriage, and not God's.

I would like to see the Catholic Church in Ontario take the lead on this issue. But considering the silence from the pulpit during the Marc Hall fiasco, I'm not holding my breath.
34 posted on 07/12/2002 10:27:09 AM PDT by Loyalist
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To: mitchbert
Actually, I know many gay people, some of whom are also in longterm committed relationships. Personally, I live and let live. What bothers me is that important societal issues like this should be dealt with in the political process, through open, democratic debate. It is poisonous for them to be dealt with by judicial fiat. If America decides to legalize gay marriage through the democratic process then whatever consequences accrue will have to be dealt with accordingly. But this decision should not be imposed upon us by decree.
35 posted on 07/12/2002 10:30:17 AM PDT by jalisco555
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To: jalisco555
What bothers me is that important societal issues like this should be dealt with in the political process, through open, democratic debate.

Absolutely couldn't agree more. The problem is that politicians tend to shy away from anything that smacks of controversy and lob the ball to the courts so they can then shrug their shoulders and say "Well, what are we supposed to do now?" It's frustrating and maddening, to be sure.

36 posted on 07/12/2002 10:34:43 AM PDT by mitchbert
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To: VRWC_minion
However, the state doesn't validate relationships, society does. So far most of society isn't going to give them what they desire and they will still be miserable.

It looks like nothing but a sick quest for power! Who in Canada even CARES who shacks up together nowadays? And with the generous socialist dole ladled out by that government, partner benefits are a moot point.

37 posted on 07/12/2002 10:36:29 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: Loyalist
In the United States, most priests are also a notary. Just as a notary performs the ceremony without religious trappings, a religious person performs the ceremony with the religious trappings. Ask a priest if he is also a notary.

No religious organization can be forced to perform a wedding ceremony.
38 posted on 07/12/2002 10:44:22 AM PDT by Greeklawyer
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To: mitchbert
I tend to reserve the term evil for people who do things like rape, murder and fly airplanes into skyscrapers.

......teach tolerance along with their fisting "internal anal probing" classes in public schools, start friendly little clubs like NAMBLA, try to adopt because their unatural lifestyle can't breed , like dogs can't breed with goats, fecies injestion, AIDs..........

39 posted on 07/12/2002 10:45:17 AM PDT by concerned about politics
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Comment #40 Removed by Moderator


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