That’s what our (tremendously unphotogenic, but that’s becoming a tradition) Prime Minister said today, when announcing that the Liberals will introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage when Parliament resumes sitting in January. I’m not exactly sure how our post-modernity applies to gay weddings, but thanks for the sentiment. It’s about frickin’ time.
I must credit Conservative leader Stephen Harper, who confirmed that his party’s MPs would be able to vote their conscience in January. That was his party-line on moral issues during the election. At least publicly, he’s sticking to his guns.
This isn’t supposed to be Disparage Alberta Week, but that province needs to catch up with the rest of the country:
Alberta’s Justice Minister said his government, which opposes same sex marriage, will have to weigh its options in the wake of the ruling. But Ron Stevens said they need to be realistic, adding that the decision has restricted their ability to defend marriage.
Four years ago, Alberta passed a law stating marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Stevens said despite the Supreme Court ruling that law stands and marriage licenses will not be granted to same-sex couples.
Ah, well, we’ll drag them kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century.
Would someone please invite me to a same-sex wedding? In fifty years, I’ll need that experience as part of the narrative with which I’ll bore the neighbourhood kids: “Back in twenty ought four, this country finally decided that it was time to let gay people get married. I was headed over to Port Moody. I wore an onion on belt, which was the style at the time…”
Bonus link: A mini photo essay about how fruits can now get married. One of the comments on that entry points to Canadians For Equal Marriage, a site that enables you to contact MPs to express your support for same-sex marriages. Just don’t, you know, abuse it. I won’t have to, as I’m guessing that my MP is in the bag.
UPDATE: Here’s an interesting legal opinion on the Supreme Court decision from a Scottish lawyer. He’s found a nice quote about our Constitution in the decision, that the Charter is “a living tree which, by way of progressive interpretation, accommodates and addresses the realities of modern life.”
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Dang! I was hoping for a photo of Paul Martin on that first link, but all I got was “http://” — and an Apache localhost configuration page on my machine.
Link please?
Oh, and I think my MP doesn’t require much prodding on this issue either. I wish he’d updated his website since the election, though.
From what I understand, only the NDP will whip its MPs into voting the party line or abstaining; Churchill MP Bev Desjarlais opposes same-sex marriage. Liberal cabinet ministers have to show solidarity, but the other 95 Grits are free to vote as they please. Despite the free vote, I’ll be surprised if more than 4 or 5 Conservatives vote in favour of same-sex marriage, while about that same number of Bloquistes will vote against. Odds are that the bill to legalize same-sex marriage will pass easily; only half of the Liberal backbenchers need to vote Yes for it to succeed.
Having said all that, there’s no doubt about where my MP stands on this one. That’s one bit of lobbying that I don’t need to do.
Derek: Thanks for the tipoff–I’ve fixed our unphotogenic PM.
On being photogenic: Honestly, I think it’s a politician thing. Look at the US — have you ever seen such an ugly group of people? If I were Monica, I would have had to turn down Bill’s advances on the basis of his hair alone.
On the other hand, Kim Campbell is pretty cute. I don’t agree with her politics, but I love the “looks naked” picture she had taken. 🙂
Did you know that not only is she the only woman to be Prime Minister of Canada, but she’s also the youngest prime minister we’ve had? Not bad for a chick. 🙂 (Yeah, I know, she sort of defaulted her way in, but that’s good enough for me.)
???? I thought this was settled and legalized long ago. Or was that only on a provincial basis?
Udge: Yes, it was only on a provincial basis. I think (and somebody correct me here) 7 out of the 10 provinces had passed same-sex marriage legislation.
6, Darren.
No province has passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage; six different provincial courts have ruled that restricting marriage to heterosexual couples is a violation of the Charter’s equal-treatment provisions.
Oh, and it’s also legal in the Yukon.