Canada is poised to become the third country to legalise gay marriage after its House of Commons narrowly passed legislation last night giving same-sex couples the same legal rights as traditionally married couples.

The Bill, drafted by the Prime Minister's Liberal Party, passed as expected, despite fierce opposition from religious leaders, a rebellion by 33 Liberal MPs and the resignation of a Cabinet minister.

The legislation is expected to be approved more easily in the Senate and become federal law by the end of July. Canada will join Belgium and the Netherlands as the first countries to officially legalise gay marriage.

Seven of Canada's 12 provinces already give full legal rights to same-sex couples. Nevertheless, the new national Bill has attracted strong criticism among conservatives and Canada's Catholic and Islamic leaders.

Last night Paul Martin, the Prime Minister, said that the Bill, which passed by 158 votes to 133, was a measure to protect the rights of a minority.

"We are a nation of minorities," Mr Martin, a Roman Catholic, said. "And in a nation of minorities, it is important that you don’t cherry-pick rights. A right is a right and that is what this vote tonight is all about."

The success of the Bill, which was passed by an informal alliance of MPs after members of the minority Liberal Party rebelled against the Prime Minister and Joe Comuzzi, a Cabinet minister, resigned, was welcomed by gay rights campaigners.

Alex Munter, a spokesman for Canadians for Equal Marriage, pointed out that the Bill was passed 30 years after the first application by a gay couple for a marriage licence. "This has been a long, arduous road," he said.

The legislation was not greeted as warmly by Canada's religious leaders. The Catholic Church, which is the largest Christian denomination in the country, has vigorously opposed the Bill even though it will not compel clergy to offer gay weddings.

Charles McVety, a spokesman for Defend Marriage Canada and president of Canada Christian College, said the legislation signified "the deconstruction of so much that is dear to our hearts."

Mr McVety promised his organisation would fight at the next general election to unseat MPs who had supported the Bill.

Polls have showed general support among the population for equal rights for gay couples. The Prime Minister drafted last night's Bill, which was debated for many months, after Canada's Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage would not be unconstitutional last December. British Columbia and Ontario were the first provinces to allow gay marriage in 2003.

The passage of the legislation underlines the strong contrast between Canada and America on the issue. For the last eighteen months, hundreds of American couples have travelled to Toronto to get married.

In the US, the federal government does not recognise same-sex marriages and President Bush has called for a constitutional amendment to clarify the legal definition of marriage as a contract between a man and a woman.

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