The Quebec Court of Appeal's decision matches similar rulings from Ontario and British Columbia.
"This is wonderful," said Michael Hendricks, one of two men at the centre of the legal case. He and longtime partner René Leboeuf sought the right to get married.
"The floodgates seem to be open and it looks like Canada is going to become the first North American country that has equal marriage," Hendricks told a news conference.
Hendricks and Leboeuf hope to wed at the Montreal courthouse next month. They've been together for 31 years.
A lower court ruled in the couple's favour in 2002, but the decision was challenged by some religious groups. On Friday, Quebec's Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling, saying the traditional definition of marriage is discriminatory and unjustified.
In 2002, the Quebec Superior Court ruled that restricting marriage to a union between a man and a woman was unjustified under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Prime Minister Paul Martin has vowed to introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriages, but he's waiting for the Supreme Court of Canada to clarify the constitutionality of gay marriage.
Share Tools
Top News Headlines
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- The estranged partner of a young mother who was stabbed to death along with her parents at their home in Aylmer, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder Friday. more »
- Severe storm in Quebec leaves damage in its wake
- Trees were uprooted, roofs damaged and windows shattered as severe thunderstorms, and possibly a tornado, rattled through southwestern Quebec Friday night. more »
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- The deaths of five climbers last weekend on Mt. Everest, with more summits underway this weekend, fuels the debate about the risks and responsibilities of high altitude climbing. more »
- Ex-Mubarak PM vows not to recreate old regime
- The last prime minister of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is denying claims that he's trying to recreate the old regime. more »
Latest Canada News Headlines
- Severe storm in Quebec leaves damage in its wake
- Trees were uprooted, roofs damaged and windows shattered as severe thunderstorms, and possibly a tornado, rattled through southwestern Quebec Friday night. more »
- B.C. premier unhappy with disgraced Mountie's transfer
- B.C. Premier Christy Clark says she is not happy with the RCMP decision to transfer a disgraced Alberta Mountie to the West Coast. more »
- Canada ending 'Buffalo shuffle' for visas, closing consulate
- The federal government is shutting the Canadian consulate in Buffalo less than two years after costly renovations, while dropping a requirement for visas to be renewed outside the country, CBC News has learned. more »
- Calmer winds ease fire threat in northeastern Ontario
- It's going to be a tense weekend in northeastern Ontario where strong, shifting winds have been fuelling a forest fire that has blanketed the Timmins area with smoke and ash. more »
The National
The Current
- What does it take to get fired at the RCMP? May. 25, 2012 5:02 PM After a senior Mountie was demoted for disgraceful conduct including sex with subordinates, exposing himself and drinking on the job, some former employees wonder what you have to do to get fired.
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- Everest victim's husband says family not seeking government help
- B.C. premier unhappy with disgraced Mountie's transfer
- Canada ending 'Buffalo shuffle' for visas, closing consulate
- What a Greek euro exit could mean for Canada
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- Police probe Halifax homicide after shooting
- Ottawa man in hospital after lightning strike
- RCMP officer charged in fatal crash
