カナダ：同性婚法施行、世界4番目の合法化国に

2005-07-21 20:49
カナダ、同性婚を合法化 - クリスチャン・トゥデイ

　カナダで20日、同性間の結婚が合法化された。同性婚を認めた国はオランダ、ベルギー、スペインに次いで世界で４カ国目。

　カナダでは下院が６月に同性婚を合法化する法案を可決したのに続き、上院も19日深夜、同法案を賛成47、反対21、棄権３で可決。最高裁判事の承認を経て20日に発効した。


　同法は、同性婚を裁判所や市役所など公共機関でのみ受理できるとしている。カナダではアルバータとプリンスエドワードアイランドの２州以外の８州が、すでに同性婚を認めている。

　法案では、新しい結婚の定義は公的機関によるもので、宗教機関は信仰に基づいて結婚を定義できるとし、これまで法案に強く反対したキリスト教徒ら宗教者に配慮を示した。事実上、宗教者の主張は取り残された格好となった。

　法案の可決について、反対派団体「カナダ結婚保護」代表\、チャールズ・マクベティ氏は「連邦は教会を侵略した。連邦と教会を断絶させた上、宗教用語を再定義してしまった」と強く非難した。マクベティ氏はカナダ・キリスト教大学学長。

　マクベティ氏は「次期政府は同性婚を再検討するだろう。そのときは正常な判断が他を圧倒するはずだ」と語った。

　2003年にカナダで同性婚を認める最初の州となったオンタリオとブリティッシュ・コロンビアでは、毎年、数百組の同性カップルが結婚式を挙げているという。

高柳泉 takayanagi@chtoday.co.jp

カナダ、同性婚を合法化・世界で４番目 (共同 2005/07/21)

　【ニューヨーク20日共同】カナダからの報道によると、同国で20日、同性間の結婚が合法化された。上院が19日深夜、同性婚合法化法案を賛成47、反対21、棄権3で可決、最高裁判事が20日に承認し発効した。同性婚を全国レベルで認めたのはオランダ、ベルギー、スペインに続いて4カ国目。

　同法は、同性婚を裁判所や市役所など公共機関でのみ受理できるとしている。カナダではアルバータとプリンスエドワードアイランドの2州以外の8州が、すでに同性婚を認めている。

　カナダ下院は6月28日に同法案を賛成多数で可決。法案を起草した与党自由党が安定多数を占める上院でも可決が確実視されていた。

カナダ、同性婚を合法化…世界で４か国目 (読売 2005/07/21)

　カナダで２０日、同性間の結婚が合法化された。同性婚を認めた国はオランダ、ベルギー、スペインに次いで世界で４か国目。

　カナダでは下院が６月に同性婚を合法化する法案を可決したのに続き、上院も１９日深夜、同法案を賛成４７、反対２１、棄権３で可決。最高裁判事の承認を経て２０日に発効した。

　カナダでは大半の州がすでに同性婚を認めている。連邦最高裁は昨年１２月、国レベルで合法化を進めるよう勧告していた。（ニューヨーク支局）

カナダ、同性結婚を正式に合法化　世界で４カ国目
2005.07.21
Web posted at: 12:36 JST
- CNN/AP/REUTERS

カナダ・トロント――カナダ最高裁は２０日、同性同士の結婚を認める法案を発効させた。同性結婚を国レベルで合法化するのは、ベルギー、オランダ、スペインに続き４カ国目。

カナダ下院が６月２８日に法案を採択したのに引き続き、与党・自由党が多数を占める上院も今月１９日夜、賛成４７反対２１で予想通り可決。その後、決まりに従い、最高裁のマクラクリン長官が法案に署名し、発効させた。

与党・自由党は、国内１０州のうち８州で裁判所が、同性結婚の禁止はカナダ権利憲章に違反していると判断したことを理由に、法案を提出していた。

可決された法案は、同性カップルに異性カップルと同様の権利保障を認めると共に、非宗教儀式としての結婚を容認。しかし宗教儀式としての結婚は権利として認めず、同性カップルに対して宗教関係者が結婚式を司式しなくてはならないという義務はないと、明示している。

一方で、キリスト教関係団体や野党第一党の保守党は、法案は宗教的価値観や宗教団体を攻撃するものだと強く反発していた。

カナダではすでに多くの州政府が地方レベルで同性結婚を合法化。隣国の米国をはじめ、同性結婚を認めない多くの国から訪れた同性カップルがカナダで結婚していた。


Gay marriage now officially legal across Canada
Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:09 PM ET

A law allowing gay marriages across Canada could come into force as early as July 20 after the Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation. That would make Canada the fourth country in the world after Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain to permit same sex marriages, although a number of Canadian provinces have been allowing same-sex marriages for some time. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin (R) arrives on Parliament Hill in Ottawa June 23, 2005.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada formally became the fourth country in the world to legalize gay marriages on Wednesday after the country's Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation.

Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain already permit same-sex marriages, and a number of Canadian provinces have been allowing such legal unions for some time.

The Senate upper chamber -- dominated by members from the governing Liberal party -- voted 47-21 late on Tuesday to pass the law.

The House of Commons had already approved the legislation despite fierce opposition from conservative politicians and from religious groups who portrayed it as an attack on organized religion.

The law came into power on Wednesday when a Supreme Court judge approved it. That job would normally be done by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, who represents Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state. But Clarkson is recovering after having had a pacemaker fitted earlier this month.

The Liberal government said it had to draw up the legislation to allow same-sex marriages across the country after courts in eight of the 10 provinces ruled that a heterosexual-only definition of marriage was unconstitutional.

Opponents fear churches and religious officials could be sued for refusing to carry out same sex marriages.

But while the legislation grants gays and lesbians the right to full civil marriages, it makes clear that religious officials would not be obliged to marry same-sex couples.

Some provinces have already become something of a tourist destination for gay couples from other countries who are seeking to get married.

Canadian residency requirements are less strict than those in other countries that allow gay marriage, but the new unions may not be recognized in the couples' home countries.

Canada 4th Nation to Legalize Gay Marriage
By ROB GILLIES
The Associated Press
Wednesday, July 20, 2005; 6:53 PM

TORONTO -- Canada legalized gay marriage Wednesday, becoming the world's fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin signed the legislation making it law, hours after it was approved by the Senate late Tuesday night despite strong opposition from Conservatives and religious leaders.



Senate security guards leave Parliament Hill in Ottawa Tuesday, July 19, 2005 after the Senate passed Bill C-38 on same sex marriage. The bill grants same-sex couples legal rights equal to those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in a majority of Canadian provinces.(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward) (Jonathan Hayward - AP)

The bill gives homosexual couples the same rights as those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in eight of Canada's 10 provinces and in two of its three territories.

The legislation drafted by Prime Minister Paul Martin's minority Liberal Party government easily passed the Senate, which essentially rubber stamps any bill already passed by the House of Commons, which passed it late last month.

The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain are the only other nations that allow gay marriage nationwide.

The law comes after years of court battles and debate that divided families, religious groups and even political allies. The Roman Catholic Church, the predominant Christian denomination in Canada, has vigorously opposed the legislation.

But Martin, a Roman Catholic, has said that despite anyone's personal beliefs, all Canadians should be granted the same rights to marriage.

Alex Munter, national spokesman for Canadians for Equal Marriage, which has led the debate in favor of the law, was triumphant Wednesday: "It is a signal to the world that Canada is an open and inclusive society that believes in the notion of full citizenship for all."

Churches have expressed concern that their clergy would be compelled to perform same sex ceremonies. The legislation, however, states that the bill only covers civil unions, not religious ones, and no clergy would be forced to perform same-sex ceremonies unless they choose to do so.

Charles McVety, a spokesman for Defend Marriage Canada and president of Canada Christian College, said he was "very sad that the state has invaded the church, breached separation of church and state and redefined a religious word."

McVety vowed his group would work to vote out lawmakers who supported the legislation in the next general elections.

"A new Parliament is going to readdress this issue and common sense ultimately will prevail," McVety said.

In the United States, Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriages; Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.

Though hundreds of foreigners have come to Canada to seek civil ceremonies since gay marriages were first allowed in Ontario and British Columbia in 2003, not all countries or states recognize the unions.

The U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriage, and most states refuse to acknowledge marriage certificates from gay and lesbian couples, regardless of where they wed.

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On the Net:

Canadians for Equal marriage: http://www.equal-marriage.ca

Defend Marriage Canada: http://www.defendmarriagecanada.org