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Wednesday January 5, 2005
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Saskatchewan Commissioners Resigning or Refusing to "Marry" Homosexuals
REGINA, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Eight Saskatchewan marriage commissioners have resigned because of new laws requiring them to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Justice Minister Frank Quennell. Three others said they would go to court if they were fired for refusing to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Saskatoon Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott.
If same-sex couples are refused "marriage" by a commissioner, the complaint will be reviewed by the Justice Department, Quennell said Tuesday, as reported by the Saskatchewan News Network.
"We'd have to investigate the circumstances and potentially remove their power to perform civil marriages because they weren't willing to administer the law as it stands," he said.
Vellacott said the government should be willing to accommodate the religious convictions of its marriage commissioners, as prescribed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. "You've got specifically the conscience right and religion right that are very explicit (in the charter)," Vellacott said.
Regina marriage commissioner Orville Nichols said he would sue the government rather than resign if challenged for refusing to officiate at a same-sex "marriage."
"I will definitely not resign," Nichols said. "If something like this happens, I'm prepared to go to court . . . We got a letter from them saying that we must do it and if we don't, we're breaking the law and we could lose our commission appointment."
"My definition of marriage is opposite -- male and female -- not two males and two females," Nichols emphasized. "That's why I oppose it."
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