New Marriage Equality Suit Filed in Canada

May 20, 2005

YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES — A gay couple in Canada's far north have filed suit accusing the Northwest Territories of violating Canada's Charter rights for refusing to grant them a marriage license.

Jason Perrino and Colin Snow were not in court as their lawyer, Sheila MacPherson filed the suit in Yellowknife, the territorial capital.

In court documents file Friday, Perrino says Colin and I both wish to legalize our relationship. ... It is my wish that my stepdaughter will grow up and recognize her dad and I are a real family.

Same-sex marriage is already legal in 7 of Canada's 10 provinces and one of the three territories, following court rulings. Last month a suit to gain marriage rights was filed by gay couples in an 8th province.

Legislation before Parliament would extend that to the rest of Canada, but MacPherson said Perrino and Snow don't want to wait for the bill to pass.

MacPherson, said that she believes the NWT court will agree with the courts in every jurisdiction in Canada where it has come up have ruled in favor of same-sex marriage.

The law is fairly well settled in this regard, she told the CBC. I think it would be difficult to conceive we would not be successful.

Thursday, the federal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin narrowly won a key vote in Parliament. Had it lost, the government would have fallen and the federal same-sex marriage legislation would have died.