Same-sex marriage in Nunavut
Encyclopedia
Nunavut
Territory began granting marriage licences to same-sex couples upon the passage of the federal Civil Marriage Act
on July 20, 2005.
On 30 October 2003, Premier
Paul Okalik
made the following statement:
He further suggested that the territory would perform same-sex divorce
s should the issue arise.
Premier Okalik succeeded in passing a territorial human rights code banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. As well, Nancy Karetak-Lindell
, Liberal
MP for the riding of Nunavut
, was re-elected in the 2006 election after having supported same-sex marriage.
During the March, 2004 general election
in Nunavut
, one of Premier Okalik's main opponents ran on the basis that he would repeal the territory's human rights legislation on sexual orientation, and would not recognize same-sex marriages
.
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
Territory began granting marriage licences to same-sex couples upon the passage of the federal Civil Marriage Act
Civil Marriage Act
The Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada...
on July 20, 2005.
On 30 October 2003, Premier
Premier of Nunavut
The Premier of Nunavut is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Nunavut. They are the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although their powers are considerably smaller than that of a provincial premier....
Paul Okalik
Paul Okalik
Paul Okalik MLA is a Canadian politician. He is the first Inuk member called to the Nunavut Bar, the first Premier of Nunavut and the only multi-term premier of a Canadian territory....
made the following statement:
- "If developments in the Parliament of CanadaParliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
and the Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
result in the definition of marriageMarriageMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
being broadened, we will respect the law and comply with that. In the meantime, anyone in Nunavut who has been legally married anywhere will be recognized by the Government of NunavutLegislative Assembly of NunavutThe Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada, is located in Iqaluit, and is the territory's parliament.The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, on 7 October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee tour of Canada...
as married."
He further suggested that the territory would perform same-sex divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
s should the issue arise.
Premier Okalik succeeded in passing a territorial human rights code banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. As well, Nancy Karetak-Lindell
Nancy Karetak-Lindell
Nancy Karetak-Lindell is a former Canadian politician. Previously she was a financial comptroller and municipal councillor in Arviat, Karetak-Lindell ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in the 1997 federal election in the riding of Nunavut...
, Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
MP for the riding of Nunavut
Nunavut (electoral district)
Nunavut is a federal electoral district in Nunavut, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997. Nunatsiaq, its predecessor that covered the same area, was a federal electoral district in Northwest Territories, that was represented in the House of Commons from 1979...
, was re-elected in the 2006 election after having supported same-sex marriage.
During the March, 2004 general election
Nunavut general election, 2004
The Canadian territory of Nunavut conducted its second general election on February 16, 2004, to elect the 19 members of the Legislative Assembly.Premier Paul Okalik asked for the five-year-old territory's first parliament to be dissolved on January 16....
in Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, one of Premier Okalik's main opponents ran on the basis that he would repeal the territory's human rights legislation on sexual orientation, and would not recognize same-sex marriages
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
.