ALBERTA LAWS GIVE GAY PARTNERS THE SAME RIGHTS AS MARRIED COUPLES

EDMONTON, May 8, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The Alberta government has introduced two bills that would give same-sex partners, and other adults living in “interdependent” relationships, such as siblings living together, many of the same legal rights as married couples.  However, in a meager attempt to placate conservatives, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein said that he would be willing to invoke the notwithstanding clause to protect the definition of marriage as heterosexual.  Bill 29, tabled in response to an Alberta court decision declaring Alberta’s inheritance laws unconstitutional, grants same-sex partners the same inheritance rights as married persons have when their spouse dies without a will.  Bill 30 extends many of the benefits and obligations of marriage to persons living in “interdependent relationships.” The bill defines these as economic and emotional relationships where two people have lived together for more than three years, have signed a contract of interdependence, or are raising a child together.  In March, 1999, in the wake of the Vriend decision on the inclusion of sexual orientation in Alberta’s Human Rights Code, Alberta’s Tory caucus agreed to a policy of enacting “legislative fences” to protect the traditional definition of marriage.  Since that time, however, Alberta has expanded the rights of homosexual couples, including allowing homosexual adoption in May, 1999.  However, in March, 2000, a private members bill by backbencher Victor Doerkson was passed, defining marriage as exclusively heterosexual, and invoking the notwithstanding clause to protect this definition.  Justice Minister Hancock voted against this bill, while Premier Klein was absent.  Source – CP May 7 report covered by Canoe:  https://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSLaw0205/07_rights-cp.html (today only)  Background on Alberta Laws on Same-Sex Couples   https://www.the-newsroom.com/col01/col0409.htm   Previous LifeSite Stories:  https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/apr/01040605.html https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/mar/00031701.html https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1999/mar/99031902.html