They did it — the Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the way for the federal government to legalize same-sex marriage, ruling that Parliament has the right to redefine marriage. (CBC):

The federal government had asked the court to consider whether excluding gays and lesbians from legal marriage violated equality rights under the Charter.

But the court said that by failing to appeal a number of lower court rulings that said excluding gays from marriage was discriminatory, the federal government had already accepted that position.

Those lower court rulings have already made same-sex marriage legal in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Yukon.

The United Church minister who performed the first gay marriage in B.C. is pleased with Thursday’s ruling.

“I think it’s really appropriate, the time has come,” says Tim Stevenson, who is also a Vancouver city councillor.

“We’re obviously leading the world and many many other countries will be looking at this ruling and realizing that Canada has made a mark in the world, and will be following.”

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Actual Freeper Quotesâ„? including bonus points for Freeper bigots in Canada…

“Religious freedom is not protected, since the government, rather than merely allowing, is promoting homosexual activity through civil same sex marriage, despite the religious and moral beliefs of many.”

“Nothing would surprise me anymore with our Supreme’s Not even that!. God help us! Maybe now all the gays who want to get married can join the dems who are still upset with the re-election of Bush and move to Canada. With the guys who don’t want to go to Iraq as well. One big happy country!”

“Don’t worry, they will start work on the US directly! You have a lot more gays than we do…although they will probably all be swarming up here now twittering away, wedding rings at the port…BLAH!!”

“Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

This country will now be like a magnet to homosexuals. With them comes their diseases but no problem, we have socialized medicine so we can all pay to aid and abet this sordid lifestyle CHOICE.

I so wish I had gotten out years ago.”

“For now! We know how libs work, even in Kanada. They attempt to play both sides of an issue, no matter how transparent.

Give it another year, 2 maybe and religious officials (which means Christians) will then be forced to perform unions or else…………..”