Unions support gay marriage

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by Kristian Gravenor

Although federal government lawyers fought bitterly against it, last Friday at the Montreal courthouse a couple battling for the right to same-sex marriage was granted the right to have representatives from nine groups, including the CSN union and the CSQ teachers union, to speak in favour of their cause. The legal challenge to the ban on same-sex marriage starts November 7.

"We think it's important to have representatives of civil society to explain that there's a negative impact when a part of the population doesn't have the same rights in their daily life as others," says Irène Demczuk of the Quebec Coalition for Same-Sex Relationship Recognition.

The case will challenge the constitutionality of Article 365 of Quebec's Civil Code which was used to disallow the wedding vows between Michael Hendricks, 60, and René LeBoeuf, 46, who twice applied to register a civil marriage to formalize their now-28-year relationship. And Hendricks still wants a ring on his finger.

"Without being full citizens in our society it's difficult for us to assume our full roles and of course we're denied the dignity that comes with marriage," says Hendricks. "While that sounds a little highfalutin', it leads to a series of embarrassing situations that are hard to understand."

The Catholic Civil Rights League and the Alliance of Evangelical Protestants of Quebec will intervene against same-sex marriage in the upcoming case.