Gay marriage finally legal nationwide

Thank God.

After a year of fractious Parliamentary behaviour, scandal and something like ten non-confidence motions, Parliament finally passed Bill C-38 and gay marriage is finally legal nationwide in Canada.

Of course it has been legal for two years now in what has become seven provinces and one territory. That inevitability however did not seem to dissuade the opposition. The opponents of gay marriage continually made the point that legalizing the same would result in a denial of rights for straight marriages. No one, not my MP John Reynolds nor anyone I ever asked about this could point out how this works. Nor could they suggest why continuing to deny equal rights to gay and lesbian Canadians on these grounds was somehow a principled defense of equality for those who already had those rights.

And then, as the above linked NY Times article notes, Stephen Harper, the opposition leader made the argument that legislation supported by the Bloc Quebecois was somehow illegitimate less than two months after he did a deal with the Bloc to try to defeat the government on a confidence motion, a motion which lost by one vote. Harper has promised to revisit the legislation if he ever becomes prime minister. Knowing that he would do that, try to overturn a law that affirms a constitutional right, is reason enough to ensure that he never forms a government.

I find politics to be a field scarce in constructive ideas and collaboration, which is why I so rarely comment on politics in this weblog. However, in the face of the partisan screaming and moaning of the past year, it is heartening to see this Parliament finally pass a motion on something positive and forward looking. I congratulate all who voted for the bill, and the rest of you who, like me, tried to convince your MP to do the same.