FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2003

Glad Hails Marriage Decision from Ontario Court of Appeals

n the eve of a decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) on a case brought by Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) seeking same-sex civil marriage in the state, the Ontario Court of Appeal today ruled that excluding same-sex couples from marriage violates equality rights and cannot be justified.

The ruling, which the local government is not expected to appeal, marks the highest court outside the United States to rule on the issue of civil marriage. Ontario, which includes Toronto, is Canada’s most populous province. The ruling clears the way for Canadian recognition of marriages of same-sex couples.

“This is another significant ruling in what is becoming obvious to more and more people every day,” said Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s civil rights director and the lead attorney on the Massachusetts case. “Gay and lesbian families are already part of the larger community as the census data has shown. Allowing gay and lesbian couples into civil marriage not only protects their families and children, but it strengthens their neighborhoods and communities as well.”

The issue is relevant in Massachusetts where seven gay and lesbian couples represented by GLAD sued the state in April of 2001 when they were denied marriage licenses in their cities and towns. The SJC could rule any day on the constitutionality of the exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from marriage.

The Massachusetts case, known as Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, was argued before the SJC in March. For more information about the case, go to www.glad.org.