Spain & Canada approve gay marriages

On June 29, Canada's House of Commons passed a bill legalising same-sex marriages. The bill, which included a caveat allowing religious institutions to refuse to marry same-sex couples, passed by a comfortable margin, although one member of the cabinet resigned in protest and the opposition Conservatives have vowed to repeal it if they can after the next elections. A day later, despite strong protest from the pope, Spain's lower house of parliament voted to allow same-sex couples to marry and to adopt children. While thousands have protested the bill, polls suggest it has majority support. Spain and Canada join the Netherlands and Belgium as the only countries with equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

From Green Left Weekly, July 6, 2005.

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From GLW issue 632