Gay Rights In Canada

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In July 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world, after the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain, to legalize same-sex marriages nationwide. This new legal status for gays and lesbians has been a controversial issue in Canada, both in the public and in Parliament. The legal status of homosexuals in Canada has evolved dramatically over the last 50 years. In the 1960s, men engaging in homosexual activities found themselves subject to criminal charges and imprisonment. In contrast, today’s gay and lesbian communities possess substantial legal benefits and protections. Prior to the 1970s, homosexuality was a criminal offence in Canada. Those accused of homosexual activities were charged as sex offenders and, if convicted, could be sentenced…show more content…
Beginning in the 1970s, several legislative reforms were instituted in an attempt to end discrimination against gay and lesbian persons. Some important examples include: In 1977, Quebec became the first province in Canada to include “sexual orientation” in its human rights legislation. Today, all provinces and territories in Canada prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In 1978, the federal government amended Canada’s Immigration Act, removing a ban on homosexuals as immigrants. In 1978, the federal government amended Canada’s Immigration Act, removing a ban on homosexuals as immigrants. In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added to the Constitution. The Charter did not explicitly grant equality rights to gays and lesbians. However, in 1995 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled, in Egan v. Canada, that the Charter would be interpreted in a manner that prohibited discrimination on the basis of “sexual…show more content…
The portion of Canadians supporting gay marriage, which had hovered around one-third from 2001 through 2006, increased to 43 percent in 2010 and 57 percent by 2012, according to survey data from the Environics Institute, a Toronto polling group. Only 19 percent of Canadians reported strong disapproval. It's hard to disentangle the effect of legalizing same-sex marriage from broader cultural shifts that were already underway. But it seems that changing the law's treatment of the issue accelerated the evolution of Canadians' views. (Flavelle, 2013) Two views of homosexuality are creating tensions in Canada. Some believe, on the basis of equality, that there should be no distinction drawn in any way by society between homosexual and heterosexual relationships. Others are opposed to homosexuality for practical, medical, moral and/or religious reasons. The “no distinction” approach has dominated primarily because of the decisions of appointed judges and human rights panelists. It was on this basis that the legalization of same-sex marriages was made. Same-sex marriage is now public policy, and has triggered some significant
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