Canadian same-sex marriage expected to survive challenge
Gay people apparently have little to fear this fall when Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper engineers a promised vote in Parliament to determine if MPs want to undo Canada's legalization of same-sex marriage.
For one thing, the Bloc Québécois and New Democratic parties have promised that all their members—who total 79 of the 308 in the House of Commons—will oppose the move.
And more than enough members of the Liberal and Conservative parties seem to feel that reopening the matter is not the best way to spend their time and energy.
The vote is expected to favor gays more strongly than the 158-133 vote on June 28, 2005, that legalized gay marriage in the first place.
'We're cautiously optimistic that a majority of MPs will vote against reopening the issue of equal marriage,' said Gilles Marchildon, executive director of the national gay lobby group Egale. 'A majority of Canadians want their MPs to move on. ... They don't want him [ Harper ] to try and roll back the clock on equality.'
Beyond that, nine of Canada's 13 provinces and territories already had legalized same-sex marriage by the time the federal Parliament did so. As a result, Harper and Parliament could undo same-sex marriage only in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Prince Edward Island—unless they manage to utilize the never-used and widely reviled 'notwithstanding clause,' which allows provinces or the federal government to enact temporary laws that contradict Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
That is considered to be very unlikely.
More than 10,000 same-sex couples have married in Canada since June 2003 when Ontario became the first province to redefine the institution.
The total includes many couples from the United States. There is no residency requirement for marriage in Canada and no waiting period after acquiring a license, except for a few days in the province of Quebec.
Poll: PM should have attended AIDS confab
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper should have attended the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto in August, a CanWest News Service/Global National/Ipsos Reid poll has found.
Fifty-four percent of those questioned said Harper was 'wrong' to skip the event while 43 percent supported the decision. Opposition was highest in Quebec ( 61 percent ) and among younger adults ( 62 percent ) and women ( 60 percent ) .
Ipsos Reid senior vice president John Wright told the Ottawa Citizen that Harper, a Conservative, might have gotten booed if he did show up, so it probably was a 'lose-lose' situation for him.
The survey questioned 1,002 adults and is considered accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Quebec may get
gay premier
Openly gay Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair could be the next premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has reported.
A new poll found the PQ with a 5 percent lead over the currently ruling Liberals in the 2007 provincial election. The leader of the largest party in a provincial legislature is customarily appointed premier.
'The chances are good [ I'll be premier ] ,' Boisclair, 40, told Radio-Canada, 'but I have to earn the confidence of people.'
If chosen, Boisclair has promised to push for a new referendum on Quebec independence. He told Radio-Canada he also hopes to change attitudes toward gay politicians.
Uruguay to legalize same-sex unions
A civil-union bill passed Uruguay's Senate Sept. 12 in a 25-2 vote.
The gay-specific sections of the bill were voted on separately and passed 16-12. The measure advanced to the House of Representatives where it is expected to pass easily.
Under the legislation, two people who have lived together for five years in a marriagelike relationship—'whatever their sex, identity or sexual option may be'—will automatically acquire the rights and obligations of a married couple.
They also could choose to officially register their relationship after five years.
The law is expected to be in force by the end of the year.
Ugandan lesbians outed
Following up on its recent outing of 45 alleged gay men, the Ugandan tabloid newspaper Red Pepper outed 13 alleged lesbians Sept. 8.
They include two boutique owners, a basketball player and the daughters of a former member of Parliament and a prominent sheik.
'To rid our motherland of the deadly vice, we are committed to exposing all the lesbos in the city,' the newspaper said, inviting readers to 'send more names' of the 'lesbin ( sic ) in your neighborhood.'
Activists said the outing campaigns will lead to loss of jobs, homes, family and friends. Gay sex is illegal in Uganda under Penal Code articles 140, 141 and 143. The punishment for 'carnal knowledge against the order of nature' is up to life in prison.
In 1999, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said of gays: 'These few individuals [ who became known ] were either ignored or speared and killed by their parents. They wouldn't just go and wed another man publicly.'
He also said: 'I have told the CID [ Criminal Investigations Department ] to look for homosexuals, lock them up and charge them. Even the Holy Bible spells it out clearly that God created Adam and Eve as wife and husband, but not men to marry fellow men.'
Walesa appears with Elton John
Former President Lech Walesa appeared on stage with gay singer Elton John at Poland's Sopot Festival Sept. 2.
Walesa presented John with an Amber Nightingale award for his lifetime achievement and gave him a medal marking the 25th anniversary of the Solidarity Trade Union that Walesa headed and which helped bring down Polish communism.
During the concert, John reportedly stated: 'I'm just a performer who plays people some music. I hope that my music helps people to forget about their problems for a few hours. But I'm also a gay man and I've heard that gay people face violence in Poland. Leave us alone. We don't want to harm anybody. We just want to love and be loved.'
The comments reportedly elicited a loud ovation.
Gay adoption OK'd at Scottish Parliament
A measure to allow gay and unmarried couples to adopt children cleared its first hurdle in the Scottish Parliament Sept. 14. The vote was 103-8.
The bill must pass through two additional stages, and Christian organizations and some members of Parliament have promised a vigorous battle against it.
The measure also would allow children who are not suitable for adoption to remain with a foster family indefinitely.
Gay flag flies over Taipei City Hall
City officials will raise the rainbow flag over Taipei City Hall Sept. 17 to mark the launch of the 7th annual 'LGBT Civil Rights Movement—Queer-Friendly Taipei,' the Taipei Times reported.
The festival, hosted by the city's Department of Civil Affairs, aims to break down stereotypes and increase gay visibility and cultural diversity.
On Sept. 30, the gay community will stage a parade and a mass 'wedding' ceremony. For more information, see www.lgbttaipei.net .
U.K. sisters seek partnership status
Two elderly sisters in Marlborough, England, have hauled the national government before the European Court of Human Rights, demanding the same exemption from inheritance taxes that is granted to straight and gay spouses.
Joyce and Sybil Burden, ages 88 and 80 respectively, say dramatic increases in housing prices mean that if one of them dies, the other will have to sell the home they have shared for decades in order to pay the 40 percent inheritance tax on assets valued at more than £285,000 ( U.S. $534,788 ) .
The couple's farm, on which they were born, and their house, which they built in 1965, are now worth $1.6 million.
'They [ the government ] are just hoping we die before we get to court,' Joyce told The Times. 'But they don't know how determined we are to see this through.'
300,000 at
Vancouver Pride
A record 300,000 people turned out for Vancouver's Pride parade this year, Xtra! West reported. Last year's procession attracted 185,000 people. There were 134 floats, 10 more than last time.
Assistance: Bill Kelley
