Ottawa, Canada, Jun 13, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said last week that he cannot guarantee full protection to religious organizations that refuse to marry homosexuals under the Liberal government’s same-sex marriage legislation, reported the Canadian Press.
Churches will not be forced to perform same-sex weddings, but it's beyond his legal reach to protect provincial marriage commissioners or religious organizations who turn away same-sex couples, Cotler said June 8.
In Canada, the federal government has the jurisdication to define marriage, but provincial governments have the jurisdiction over the solemnization of marriage. In other words, provincial governments grant marriage licenses and marriage commissioners answer to provincial governments.
Marriage commissioners in several provinces, including Manitoba, Newfoundland, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, have resigned in recent months after receiving orders to perform same-sex unions against their beliefs.