Canada celebrates
third anniversary of same-sex marriage

A prominent Canadian lawmaker joined with two national gay rights groups at Toronto's City Hall on Friday to recognize the third anniversary of the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country. It was three years ago that an Ontario court of appeal ruled that refusing to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed was unconstitutional.

According to the Canadian Press, Federal NDP leader Jack Layton met with members of the gay rights groups Egale and Canadians for Equal Marriage, both based in Ottawa, to celebrate the milestone.

In late June of last year, the House of Commons passed Bill C-38, which changed the definition of civil marriage to "the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others"--allowing same-sex couples to wed nationwide.

The country's new Conservative prime minister, Stephen Harper, has said he will ask MPs to reopen the debate on same-sex marriage this fall. Harper said he is keeping his campaign promise to hold a free vote in the House of Commons on whether the issue should be revisited. (The Advocate)