TORONTO, July 9, 2001 (LSN.ca) – The Globe and Mail reported today that “court rulings have forced most provinces to allow same-sex couples to adopt children.”
The report notes that British Columbia was the first province to allow homosexual adoption without mandates by the courts. However the Globe cites a Supreme Court of Canada decision two years ago allowing spousal support for homosexual couples, as a turning point.
Since then Ontario, Alberta and other provinces have passed laws allowing homosexual couples the same privileges as heterosexual spouses. Certain provinces, such as Manitoba, left adoption out of such legislation.
The Globe report follows the story of homosexuals Paul Farrell and David Smagata who, two years ago, became the first homosexual couple to jointly adopt a child – a nine month old boy – in Ontario through the Children’s Aid Society (CAS). The report notes that Toronto’s CAS has placed a total of nine children in six gay or lesbian homes. There have been 2 joint adoptions and a third is almost complete. Farrell and Smagata say they are to apply this fall to adopt a second child.
(Globe and Mail, Monday, July 9, 2001)