OVER 12,000 MARRIED SAME-SEX COUPLES

Re-opening the debate more and more unfair

(OTTAWA, Nov 20) Over the summer, more than 2,300 same-sex couples obtained marriage licences, a 23% increase bringing the total number to 12,438. This number is based on research done by Canadians for Equal Marriage working with lawyers from across Canada (see below for details).

Prior to the summer, on June 10, 2006, over 10,136 marriage licences had been issued to same-sex couples across Canada since June 10, 2003, the date the first marriage licences were issued to same-sex couples in Ontario. (Click here for legal background.)

“With each passing month, more and more same-sex couples are getting married,” said Laurie Arron, National Coordinator of Canadians for Equal Marriage. “The delay in calling a vote and putting this issue to rest makes it more and more unfair to talk about taking away the equal right to marry. Now that it’s almost December, the question is whether Mr. Harper will break his fall vote promise.”

Mr. Harper had planned to move forward with the vote in early October but, as Parliament resumed, he announced to his caucus that his government’s motion to re-open the equal marriage debate would be delayed until just before Christmas. Equality opponents want a delay because they know Parliament is poised to defeat this motion. (Details)

Mr. Harper announced last June that he would hold a vote in the fall. (Details) On October 4 during Question Period, Mr. Harper re-stated his commitment to hold a vote this fall.

Polls have consistently shown that two-thirds of Canadians are against re-opening the divisive equal marriage debate. (Details)

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MARRIAGE LICENCES – REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

Prov/Terr... Equal marriage date... Marriages (as of Nov)... Marriages (as of June)... Increase... % Increase

British Columbia... July 8, 2003... 3,927... 3,107... 820... 26%
Alberta... July 20, 2005... 409... 293... 116... 40%
Saskatchewan... Nov. 5, 2004... 83... 68... 15... 22%
Manitoba... Sept. 16, 2004... 193... 130... 63... 48%
Ontario... June 10, 2003... 6,524... 5,576... 948... 17%
Quebec... March 19, 2004... 947... 702... 245... 35%
New Brunswick... June 23, 2005... 44... 36... 8... 22%
Nova Scotia... Sept 24, 2004... 273... 192... 81... 42%
Prince Edward Island... July 20, 2005... 8... 7... 1... 14%
Newfoundland and Labrador... Dec. 21, 2004... 14... 12... 2... 17%
Yukon... July 14, 2004... 13... 10... 3... 30%
Northwest Territories... July 20, 2005... 2... 2... 0... 0%
Nunavut... July 20, 2005... 1... 1... 0... 0%

Total Canada... 12,438... 10,136... 2,302... 23%

NOTES:
1. June numbers for NB, PEI, NWT and Nunavut are estimates. November numbers for Sask, NB, PEI, Nfld, NWT and Nunavut are estimates, based on the average increase over June in the other provinces and territories.

2. In Ontario the province does not separately track marriage registrations for same-sex couples. Data was obtained municipality by municipality. The total is a combination of 5,605 known and 919 estimated.