Supreme Court of Canada to Consider Hearing Homosexual ‘Marriage’ Appeal Monday

OTTAWA, October 3, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Supreme Court of Canada will hear arguments Monday in an application to appeal the June Ontario Court of Appeal decision to redefine marriage to allow homosexual couples to wed.  The Application for Leave to Appeal the decision on same-sex marriage was filed by the Association for Marriage and the Family in Ontario, which includes REAL Women of Canada, Focus on the Family and the Canada Family Action Coalition.  Gwen Landolt, a lawyer with REAL Women told LifeSite that normally three justices of the Supreme Court decide whether or not to grant leave to appeal based on submitted written arguments.  However, the Monday October 6 hearing will be presided over by five judges and the court has requested that oral arguments be made to supplement the written arguments.  “This shows they are taking the case very seriously,” said Landolt.  Homosexual activists and the Liberal Government scoffed at the pro-family groups’ attempt to appeal the ruling.  The federal Government also joined the homosexual activists in an appeal to the court to quash the pro-family association’s application to appeal.  Landolt believes the argument to grant an appeal was handed a significant boost when the homosexual activists’ website featured photos and commentary from a “gay pride” celebration party 16 days after the Ontario ruling redefining marriage.  On the party guest list were two of the three justices which ruled to redefine marriage – Chief Justice Roy McMurtry, and Mr. Justice MacPherson.  REAL Women told the Supreme Court that an appeal should be heard since the judges’ participation in the celebrations give “an apprehension of bias” in the Ontario Court of Appeal.  Landolt says there is an even chance of the Supreme Court deciding either way on the application to appeal and that the decision on hearing it will likely be reserved for a later date.