Same-sex marriage in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is one of the seven Canadian provinces and territories that recognize same-sex marriage, as of November 5, 2004.

On September 27, 2004, Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell told CBC News that neither he nor the province will take a stand on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Two same-sex couples appeared before Justice Donna Wilson on 3 November, 2004, asking for a judgment requiring the provincial government to issue marriage licences. Neither the federal nor provincial government challenged the suit.

"Greg Walen, lawyer for one of the couples, had filed a statement of claim seeking a declaratory judgment that the common-law definition of marriage be changed to include the wording 'two people to the exclusion of others,' rather than 'two people of the opposite sex.'" [1]

On 5 November, she ruled that the common-law opposite-sex definition of marriage violates the Charter rights of same-sex couples, and that "the common-law definition of marriage for civil purposes is declared to be 'the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others.'"

Not unlike neighboring Manitoba (which also recognized same-sex marriage) and Alberta (where it is prohibited by statute), same-sex marriage has been consistently unpopular in Saskatchewan polls, with most polls running between 55–70% in opposition of changing the definition of marriage.

External links

• Same sex marriage in Canada
• CBC Saskatchewan – Province shies away from same-sex marriage (September 27)
• CBC Saskatchewan – Decision coming soon on same-sex marriages in Sask. (November 3)
• CBC News – Sask. court approves same-sex marriage (November 5)