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From The Times
December 10, 2004

Two more countries back gay marriage

From Chris Ayres in Los Angeles
MARRIAGE between two men, or two women, looks set to become legal in Canada and New Zealand after legal rulings in both countries yesterday.

This would bring the number of countries where gay marriage is legal to four, after Belgium and the Netherlands. The rulings could lead to gay Americans, or Britons, tying the knot overseas and then returning home to attempt to claim married couples’ benefits. Their marriage certificates, however, would not be recognised under US and British legal systems.

In the United States gay marriage is legal only in the state of Massachusetts, while Vermont and New Jersey offer same-sex “civil unions”. Although Britain recently passed the Civil Partnership Act, which will allow gay couples to register their relationships from 2005, same-sex marriage remains illegal.

Yesterday Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that the Liberal Government had the authority to legislate on marriage, and that its proposed definition of marriage as “the lawful union of two persons” would not violate the country’s 1867 Constitution.

It rejected the argument of gay marriage opponents, who said that in 1867, when the constitution was written, all marriage was assumed to be heterosexual. At the time, homosexuality was illegal.

In New Zealand a Bill was passed in parliament recognising civil unions, which could also lead to legalisation of same-sex marriages. The controversial Civil Union Bill passed by a vote of 65-55. The law takes effect on April 26.

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