HALF OF CANADA'S GAY
WEDDINGS ARE FOREIGN
By gcn.ie from the
Web, 18 January 2007
Foreigners are flocking to Canada to
have legal same-sex marriages, according to a new report that shows more than
half of recorded gay weddings were couples from abroad.
Statistics Canada data on 2003 nuptials, which included gay couples for the
first time in Canadian history, found 3.5 per cent of the 22,000 marriages in
B.C. were between people of the same sex. And nearly 56 per cent of those
were non-residents of Canada.
"Gay and lesbian couples have been coming to Canada since the laws changed in
2003, especially to the big cities," said Kaj Hasselriis, executive director of
Egale Canada, a gay interest group. "It's a positive thing for couples who
want to be legally married, and it's a positive thing for Canada because it
enhances our reputation as a country that is very open and progressive."
Hasselriis said the positive trend is also a boon for Canada's economy, creating
a niche tourism industry for gay marriages and honeymoons.
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