NationStates Jolt Archive

Today is a monumental day for Canadians everywhere. On this day we are one step closer to complete equality among all citizens. At around 7:45 my time, The Supreme Court of Canada has passed a motion which supports the legalization of gay marriage across Canada. The decision was unanimous: 9-0.

Previous to this was a declaration by the Federal Government that the motion would pass regardless of Supreme Court input, but this makes it all the better.

Sadly, the Albertan Provincial government has refused to allow gay marriage, despite any ruling of the Supreme Court or Federal government.

As for an explanation of the title, the Pope and Paul Martin had met sometime this or last year and I remember hearing the the Pope had asked Paul not to legalize gay marriage.

Full story Here (http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1102592743862_17?hub=topstories)
Sorry if this has already been posted.

Should never have even been an issue. Sexual orientation just isn't important enough to make a federal case out of. *sigh*

More good news: I read in the paper this morning that New Zealand's parliament yesterday passed a law that will allow same-sex civil unions.

thats two points for the side of sanity

Should never have even been an issue. Sexual orientation just isn't important enough to make a federal case out of. *sigh*
human rights and equality are important enough to make federal cases out of.


and i love being canadian!

So can Alberta refuse to accept this decision, or will the federal government over rule them?

i don't get how this is a victory for the conservatives though. i know they wanted to force a vote rather than have it deceided in courts, however, about half the liberals are for gay marriage, all the ndp is and if i'm not mistaken, so is the bloc... the only party that really opposes it is the conservative party... so they'll lose though getting their way of having a vote in parliment about it.

Here in Québec (it's 6:10 PM) all the people I know are for the gay marriages. Why sould they not be equal to the others?
The next step is to leglize marijuana (pot).

So can Alberta refuse to accept this decision, or will the federal government over rule them?

Ya they can refuse the decision as marrage is NOT a federal decision in canada. That being said who gives a shit if gays want to get married I dont get why we have such notions here in alberta....

thats two points for the side of sanity

Yay for sanity!

So can Alberta refuse to accept this decision, or will the federal government over rule them?
Unless the government re-writes the Charter, I think they can. Not sure though. It sucks to live in Alberta, because Alberta is conservative to the next level. It has a better chance of splitting from Canada than Quebec does because Klein is basically anti-everything the Federal government does.

So can Alberta refuse to accept this decision, or will the federal government over rule them?

The federal is more powerful than provinces.

Well that was two conflicting answers.

Jayastan, I like ur location name...

From what I've been hearing, Alberta is basically the Alabama of Canada?


And good job Canadians and New Zealanders, my respect for your countries rose another level. :)

Unless the government re-writes the Charter, I think they can. Not sure though. It sucks to live in Alberta, because Alberta is conservative to the next level. It has a better chance of splitting from Canada than Quebec does because Klein is basically anti-everything the Federal government does.


Again marriage is a PROVINCAL matter. Like education.

The toronto ANTI alberta lobby is getting really weird. The alberta seperatist party got 5% in the last election behind the green party at 10% and the fruity christain party, whatever it was called again...

From what I've been hearing, Alberta is basically the Alabama of Canada?


And good job Canadians and New Zealanders, my respect for your countries rose another level. :)

Alberta is much more right wing than the rest of canada, however it would probably be considered a swing state as its definately not as right wing as say alabama. Think Ohio with lots of money and oil....

undefinedGo Canada!

I want to move to Canada...

I want to move to Canada...
We move, and we abandon our country to the fascists.

I like my country too much to condemn it to such a fate.

Here in Québec (it's 6:10 PM) all the people I know are for the gay marriages. Why sould they not be equal to the others?
The next step is to leglize marijuana (pot).
most people i know are either for it or don't care.

my parents are against it, but they grew up in a different generation and can't vote anyways (they lack canadian citizenship as they are american and refuse to swear an oath to the queen)

Again marriage is a PROVINCAL matter. Like education.

The toronto ANTI alberta lobby is getting really weird. The alberta seperatist party got 5% in the last election behind the green party at 10% and the fruity christain party, whatever it was called again...
Ah, alright.

Wow the Green got 10%, that's pretty good, I guess a lot of new voters were going for them.

Alberta is much more right wing than the rest of canada, however it would probably be considered a swing state as its definately not as right wing as say alabama. Think Ohio with lots of money and oil....
i always considered alberta more like texas...

then i figured that cattle and oil make for conservative areas.

Again marriage is a PROVINCAL matter. Like education.

The toronto ANTI alberta lobby is getting really weird. The alberta seperatist party got 5% in the last election behind the green party at 10% and the fruity christain party, whatever it was called again...
however, if they were to rule that restricting the definition of marriage to be a man and a woman is unconstitutional, then wouldn't alberta kinda have to go along with it?

if i'm not mistaken, the constitution is for all of canada, not just the parts of canada that agree with it.

however, if they were to rule that restricting the definition of marriage to be a man and a woman is unconstitutional, then wouldn't alberta kinda have to go along with it?

if i'm not mistaken, the constitution is for all of canada, not just the parts of canada that agree with it.
Yes like I said, if they re-write the Charter, it is required. Right now, the Supreme Court has withheld judgement on the definition of marriage, so the Charter cannot be re-written and Alberta can still choose not to allow gay marriage.

Yes like I said, if they re-write the Charter. Right now, the Supreme Court has withheld judgement on the definition of marriage, so the Charter cannot be re-written and Alberta can still choose not to.

So Alberta can tell the federal government to piss off? Is that how I'm understanding this?

w00t

And good job Canadians and New Zealanders, my respect for your countries rose another level. :)
I live in NZ and was outside parliament showing my support when the Civil Unions Bill was passed. There were all these Christian Fundamentalists outside protesting against it and it was a great sight when we found out it was passed.. Some of them started crying lol.

Canada, you make me proud to have ancestry from you.

Your country still sucks...

but even a broken clock is right twice a day. Congrats on a job beautifully done, government of Canada. Now, get to work on electricty, running water, and edible food in the western provinces, make hotel rooms big enough that I can lie spread-eagled/turn around in the shower, and I might start to respect you.

So Alberta can tell the federal government to piss off? Is that how I'm understanding this?
Canada, having a very centralized government, puts alot of power into the federal government. Even though marriage is a provincial issue, human rights and equality is an entirely different story. Therefore, a supreme court ruling should override any provincial legislation. Alberta may not like it, but they'll have to surrender eventually.

PS. I love living in Canada.

No, Alberta unfortunately can tell the the federal government to piss off.

Despite how redneck Alberta is, there's a little thing in our constitution called the "notwithstanding clause", which allows the provinces to keep laws that contrevene the charter of rights and freedoms. It's how Quebec was able to keep it's Bill 101, which made French the only official language of Quebec, and establish their language nazi police. Even though the supreme court ruled Bill 101 unconstitutional, they used the notwithstanding clause to keep the law, and last time I checked, it's still on the books today.

That clause is what that illigitimate son of a goat and a cow Ralph Klein has threatened to use in regards to same-sex marriage. In order to force him to accept gay marriage, the feds would have to amend not only the marriage definition, but they would have to remove the notwithstanding clause from the constitution, which the provinces wouldn't allow to happen.

Man, I've never been prouder of half my blood :p

From what I've been hearing, Alberta is basically the Alabama of Canada?

Not in the least-Alberta has it's uses ;)