[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/justice-minister-of-canada-declares-gay-marriages-legal\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/justice-minister-of-canada-declares-gay-marriages-legal\/","headline":"Justice Minister of Canada Declares Gay Marriages Legal","name":"Justice Minister of Canada Declares Gay Marriages Legal","description":"Justice Minister of Canada Rob Nicholson declared today that all same-sex marriages, both resident and non-resident, were valid.","datePublished":"2012-01-13","dateModified":"2021-06-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/eweditors\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/eweditors\/","identifier":3,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-justice-minister-rob-nicholson-gay-marriage.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-justice-minister-rob-nicholson-gay-marriage.jpg","height":300,"width":405},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/justice-minister-of-canada-declares-gay-marriages-legal\/","about":["Marriage Equality News","News"],"wordCount":265,"keywords":[" marriage equality","Canada","gay marriage","gay weddings","Lambda Legal"],"articleBody":"Justice Minister of Canada Rob Nicholson declared today that all same-sex marriages, both resident and non-resident, were valid.His announcement comes forth after a whirlwind of reports yesterday and today that same-sex marriages performed in Canada, between non-residents whose nations do not legally recognize gay marriage, were void.The situation has been \u201ccompletely unfair to those affected,\u201d Nicholson stated during a Toronto luncheon on Friday. \u201cI want to make it clear that in our government’s view, these marriages are valid.\u201dActs have already been taken to ensure these marriages are protected. \u201cThe Civil Marriage Act will be changed to ensure that any marriages performed in Canada that aren’t recognized in the couple’s home jurisdiction will be recognized in Canada nonetheless,\u201d said Nicholson.\u201cThis will apply to all marriages performed in Canada,\u201d Nicholson said. \u201cWe have been clear that we have no desire to reopen this issue\u2014both myself and the Prime Minister consider this debate to be closed.\u201dThe controversy was launched when a lesbian couple, wed in Toronto in 2005, was seeking divorce. The non-resident couple was told that they could not divorce because they were never really married, understandably sparking confusion for Canadian-married LGBT couples worldwide.\u201cThe recent news about same-sex marriages, conducted in Canada between non-Canadian residents, is false,\u201d Lisa Hardaway, communications director of Lambda Legal, exclusively tells Equally Wed. \u201cAll LGBT couples’ marriages performed in Canada are safe from being voided.\u201dThe Civil Marriage Act will also be changed to ensure that divorce is readily available to non-residents who were married in the country. Photo: thestar.com "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Justice Minister of Canada Declares Gay Marriages Legal","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/justice-minister-of-canada-declares-gay-marriages-legal\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]