| On June 28th, 2005, the Federal Government of Canada, under Prime Minister Paul Martin, voted overwhelmingly to support Bill C-38 that requires all Canadian provinces and territories to permit marriage of same-sex couples. The legislation was subsequently signed into Canadian law after receiving approval from the Canadian Senate and the Governor General. Prior to this change, marriage licenses were issued to same-sex couples in seven provinces and one territory, representing about 87% of the population. Common law marriage for same-sex couples has existed nationwide since 1999.
The right for couples of the same sex to marry was granted in Ontario, of which Toronto is the capital, on June 10, 2003 after the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a ruling which stated that the heterosexual specific definition of marriage violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
To date, the City of Toronto has issued thousands of marriages licenses to same-sex couples. |
