Ontario will register same-sex marriages: attorney general
Last Updated: Friday, June 13, 2003 | 2:48 PM ET
CBC News
Nearly two dozen homosexual couples applied for marriage licences Wednesday in Ontario.
On Tuesday, the Ontario Appeals Court ruled the definition of marriage was invalid, and ordered the city of Toronto to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples.
- FROM JUNE 10, 2003: Ontario men wed following court ruling
A day later, Attorney General Norm Sterling said the marriages would be registered.
"I'm charged to follow the laws and will follow the laws with regards to this matter," said Sterling.
The appeal court ruling changed Ontario's definition of marriage from a union between one man and one woman to a union between two people.
Hours after the ruling, Toronto couple Michael Leshner and Michael Stark married in Canada's first legal same-sex wedding.
On Wednesday, the City of Ottawa issued its first marriage licence for a gay couple, a day after refusing them. Tracey Braun and Renée Sauvé say civil recognition of their union is important.
Courts in British Columbia and Quebec have ruled in favour of same-sex marriages, but only Ontario allows for gay and lesbian couples to marry now.
New Brunswick Attorney General Brad Green said Wednesday marriage will remain a union of a male and female until federal law is changed.
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein has vowed to fight any attempt to change marriage laws in his province.
Ottawa is deciding whether to appeal the Ontario decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
