Gay marriage legal in Yukon (Canada)

[democracy eh]

WHITEHORSE - The Yukon Supreme Court has upheld the right of two gay men to marry. Visiting Supreme Court Justice Peter McIntyre gave his decision Wednesday morning....

"It would ignore the discrimination that is going on now. Saying that there is an alternative means available ignores the fact that they requested a marriage license and were denied it solely because they are a same-sex couple."...

Yukon premier Dennis Fentie is praising the court decision, saying it shows the courts can be used to extend freedoms to all Canadians.

full article:
http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=0714gay_marriageJuly142004

:toast:

[Hand]

1. Great news...

...and for some reason, also side-splittingly funny. Something about really cold winters and boyish young Mounties...

:toast:

[Ediacara]

2. July 14th 2004 - A red-letter day in the history of gay rights!

The US Senate blocked a measure by a large margin (but not large enough in my opinion) to add anti-gay discrimination into the US Constitution despite a lot of pushing for it from the president, and the Yukon Supreme Court made it crystal clear that denying gays the right to marry is discrimination.

[Maine-i-acs]

3. Now let's monitor Yukon for failed marriages!

Surely these two gay men are hell-bent on destroying every hetero couple in the North. (sarcasm)

[wish_I_could_vote]

4. is it not already legal in

Ontario Quebec and BC ( where 0over 70% of Canadians live ) ...it was last time I checked, but it is not always easy to get Canadian news here. Did something change after the election?

[Tommy_Douglas]

6. The only place its really being protested...

Is in Alberta by Ralph Klein. It doesn't appear at the moment that any other province would try and prevent same-sex marriages.

[democracy eh]

8. correct,

but every court decision further strengthens the case law.

It is notable, because each time a new province territory affirms the rights it sends the wave one step farther. No going back Mr. Harper! It is also notable because sometimes the Northern territories see themselves as isolated and not impacted by 'big picture' issues like same sex marriage. Part of it is scale (so few people, just one big small town, part of it is age (young jurisdictions)(Heck the Northwest Territories next door didn't even have a human rights act until very recently.

and the Premier, though a former NDPer, is leader of the right of center Yukon party. but it is right of center in a Canadian and Northern way.

There is a significant gay and lesbian population (by ratio of total pop) north of 60 so I am not surprised.

days like this I get a little extra ooomph and feeling of pride for my country.

[Burma Jones]

5. Well, the Yukon is pretty manly

I always thought Yukon Cornelius was Gay, maybe it was the way he licked his pickaxe, he certainly personifies the "Bear".

[TrogL]

7. Lot of lumberjacks up there

[zx22778a]

11. I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok.... n/t

[Obamarama]

9. Damn you!

I was going to make a Yukon Cornelius comment! I personally think he had a thing for Hermey the Elf.

[maxsolomon]

10. if anyone lived there, it would be great!

maybe after global warming hits the gays will colonize

[Jackpine Radical]

12. I'm waiting for the first weird comment

about sled dogs...

[icymist]

13. From the Seattle Times: Yukon judge legalizes same-sex marriages

Thursday, July 15, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

Yukon judge legalizes same-sex marriages

By The Associated Press

WHITEHORSE, Yukon Territory — Same-sex marriage became legal in the Yukon yesterday when a judge changed the territory's common-law definition of marriage to mean the voluntary union for life of two people to the exclusion of all others.

In a decision delivered to a packed Yukon Supreme Court hearing, Justice Peter McIntyre followed courts in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

Previously, Yukon common law had limited marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

"The common-law definition of marriage is unconstitutional," said McIntyre.

<snip>

Egale, the national gay and lesbian advocacy group, welcomed the decision.

"This ruling sends a message that governments across the country must now accept the charter right of same-sex couples to marry in a civil ceremony," said Egale's director of advocacy, Laurie Arron. "There is one law for the whole country, and that law includes same-sex couples. Governments who don't accept that are leaving themselves open to legal challenges and liability for costs."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001980011_yukon15m.html