Flag of Quebec

On March 19, 2004, the Quebec Court of Appeals ruled similarly to the Ontario and B.C. courts, upholding Hendricks and Leboeuf v. Quebec and ordering that it take effect immediately. (365gay.com) (http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/03/031904queMarry.htm) The couple who brought the suit, Michael Hendricks and René Leboeuf, immediately sought a marriage licence; the usual 20-day waiting period was waived, and they were wed on April 1 at the Palais de justice de Montreal.

The Quebec decision meant that more than two-thirds of the Canadian population where living in provinces where same-sex marriage is legal. Subsequent cases have expanded this number further.

The Quebec government had previously legalized civil unions for both same-sex and opposite-sex partners. See civil unions in Quebec.

Unlike most other provinces where same-sex marriage is legal, virtually every poll in Quebec has shown that a substantial majority of the population is in support of same-sex marriage (by far the greatest proportion in North America and one of the most supportive in the world).

External links

• Same sex marriage in Canada (http://samesexmarriage.ca)

• Catholic Civil Rights League v. Hendricks (http://canlii.org/qc/cas/qcca/2004/2004qcca10289.html) (Quebec Court of Appeal, 2004/03/19) - text of the ruling (canlii.ca)