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Same-sex marriage in British Columbia: In May 2003, the British Columbia Court of Appeals ruled that denial of marriage licences to same-sex couples was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Like preceding rulings in Ontario and Quebec, this ruling was stayed for two years to allow the federal government time to amend the laws to conform with the decision.
In June 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeals struck down the stay of decision and brought the ruling into force immediately. Shortly thereafter, the B.C. Court of Appeal issued a new ruling, quite similar to the Ontario ruling, on July 8, 2003.
This ruling stated that "any further delay... will result in an unequal application of the law between Ontario and British Columbia." A few hours after the announcement, Antony Porcino and Tom Graff became the first two men to be legally wed in British Columbia.
In 2003 there were 735 same sex marriages in British Columbia. Of those 1470 married, more couples resided in the United States than did in Canada. [1] (http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/stats/annual/2003/pdf/marriages.pdf)
Barbeau v. British Columbia (A.G.) 2003 BCCA 406 (http://www.canlii.org/bc/cas/bcca/2003/2003bcca406.html) (Court of Appeal for BC 2003/07/08) - text of the ruling (canlii.ca)
The Globe and Mail (http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030708.wmarr0708/BNStory/National/)
Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage with the passage of Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act, which made gay marriage legal in the remaining provinces that hadn't yet struck down the traditional definition of marriage in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island.
May 01, 2003: Justices of the BritishColumbia Court of Appeal rule 3-0 that denial of marriage licences to same-sex couples was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Civil marriage should adapt to contemporary notions of marriage as an institution in a society which recognizes the rights of homosexual persons to non-discriminatory treatment." The Court gave the Canadian Government until July 02, 2004, to change the definition of marriage so that it includes gays and lesbians, similar to the ruling in Ontario.
Ireland does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions and neither is there currently any kind of provision for unmarried cohabiting couples, whether homosexual or heterosexual.
On November 8, 2004, a lesbian couple, Louise Gilligan and Catherine Zapaonne, brought suit for the recognition of their marriage after being refused permission to file taxes jointly.
They had been legally wed in Vancouver, BritishColumbia, Canada (see Same-sex marriage in BritishColumbia) in September 2003.
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