Alberta to recognize same-sex marriage

[Newsjock]

Alberta! Who'da ever thunk it!?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050712.wgaymarriage0712/BNStory/National

Premier Ralph Klein announced Tuesday Alberta would reluctantly recognize same-sex marriage in light of the impending federal legislation, currently before the Senate.

“We will proceed to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, much to our chagrin, following proclamation of the federal Civil Marriage Act,” Mr. Klein said in a press conference in Calgary Tuesday.

Mr. Klein said if an Alberta marriage commissioner doesn't want to perform a marriage, however, he or she would not be forced to.

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[CrazyForKucinich]

1. Haha.

If they don't want to be part of Canada. May I suggest a trade of Albeta for Minnesota?

[justinsb]

2. I'll second that!

Minnesota and Alaska (Alberta has oil after all) that way we can preserve the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and have 'the North' all to ourselves.

[Glorfindel]

5. No way! I love Minnesota...

it's one of the coolest states by any standard of measure. Also, it produced Hubert Humphrey, Paul Wellstone, Walter Mondale, and Garrison Keillor. If we must trade, let Canada have Texas. Better yet, give it back to Mexico.

[getmeouttahere]

7. Yeah, why would Canada want Texas???

one of our fellow Canadian DUers says that there are about 12 separatists in Alberta...it's all pretty much coffee shop talk

[Canuck55]

3. "Alberta to recognize same-sex marriage"

Actually thats pretty tame for what i expected Ralphie to come out with comment wise.

He must have been late for going drinking and harassing the local homeless shelter for being lazy.

[iverglas]

10. heh

My first reaction was he must have woke up sober for once. ;)

[Maple]

4. Dragged kicking and screaming

into the 21st century as always I see.

[buzzard]

6. So what, live and let live, it really has no impact on most peoples lives

in my opinion there are many other social issues that are relevant but this is not one of them. I have straight friends gay friends and none of us consider this to be an immediate issue to be dealt with by society. We are more concerned with wars based on lies, the impact of global warming and the arrogant attitude of the the US under the Bush administration. Sorry to most of you at DU I know you are not complicit in supporting the actions of your current administration I have the utmost empathy for you having to deal with such a stupid man. He does not deserve the title of POTUS and I for one one don't believe he gained it honorably.

[jim3775]

8. He knew the notwithsanding clause was political suicide. n/t

[daleo]

9. I am amazed he didn't grandstand longer, and waste more money

On pointless Supreme Court challenges.

The Alberta government was even mooting the idea of not issuing any marriage licenses - just make everyone have a "civil union" in order to forestall the dreaded linguistic construction "same sex marriage". I guess the silliness of that idea must have come through in polling.

Albertans in the two major cities don't mind, for the most part. The rural population will get used to the idea after a while. Now the politicians can get back to the serious work of giving the province away to the oil companies.

[iverglas]

11. Klein can say that all he wants

Mr. Klein said if an Alberta marriage commissioner doesn't want to perform a marriage, however, he or she would not be forced to.

But the first time a same-sex couple who is refused service by an individual delegated by the provincial govt, to perform a govt service, decides to do something about it, Mr. Klein will find that the courts disagree.

Mr. Klein said if an employee at a private agency contracted to issue driver's licences on behalf of the province doesn't want to issue licences to members of the First Nations, however, he or she would not be forced to.

See how it works, Ralph? It doesn't.

The Supreme Court has long since required that Alberta's private-sector human rights legislation be read as prohibiting discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation, in order to comply with the constitutional Charter by not denying gay men and lesbians equal treatment, i.e. treatment equal to that given to other historically disadvantaged groups. Obviously, the govt and those it delegates to exercise its powers are hardly subject to less stringent requirements. You'd think Ralph would get tired of losing.

BC took the opposite tack.
http://www.samesexmarriage.ca/legal/bc_case/marriage_commissioners.htm

January 21, 2004

BC marriage commissioners must perform
Bigotry will not be tolerated in the workplace

"Obviously the province is realizing that the court has spoken very clearly about same-sex marriages and that individuals who are commissioners can now no more turn down a same-sex marriage than they could if they didn't like the person's colour ... This is a very different issue than telling a church they would have to conduct a same-sex marriage. It's a particular individual with a secular job. You either do it or you look for different work." -- Vancouver city councillor and United Church minister Tim Stevenson, The Province, Jan. 21, 2004.

British Columbia's Vital Statistics Agency (part of the Ministry of Health Planning) issued a letter yesterday to all of its marriage commissioners, advising them of the agency's expectation that all commissioners will comply with the Canadian Charter and the new common law definition of marriage. British Columbia, following Ontario's lead, introduced same-sex marriage in that province on July 8, 2003.

Any commissioners "who feel that they cannot solemnize same-sex marriages" are expected to give notice of their intention to resign by Feb. 27, with a deadline of leaving their job by March 31.

Next, the churches, and it can't be too soon for me.

Nobody's gonna "<tell> a church they would have to conduct a same-sex marriage".

All they have to be told is that if they discriminate against same-sex couples -- or divorced individuals, or individuals not members of the church in question -- by denying the service that they are delegated by the province to perform, they won't be able to perform the service at all.

They may do what they like, they just may not discriminate and continue to be delegated to perform government functions. If they have a problem with following the rules that apply to everybody else, we relieve them of that problem.

[stevedeshazer]

12. Alberta?!

Don't get me wrong, I love that place, but it's the closest thing to a "red" province as there is, no?

Canadians, please tell me if I'm wrong.

Where's Valerie5555 when you need her? :crazy:

[iverglas]

13. well, we'd call it "blue"

but that's because we keep our colours straight up here, and you've reversed yours over the years. (It was only a little while ago that I figured out what you people were up to, and why that Bush guy always wore Whig red ties.) I actually gather, though, that your present red-blue configuration is of rather recent origin.







The idea of calling Tory blue Alberta "red" would be enough to drive Ralph Klein to drink. But then, so would losing a shirt button.