Blog 1: Canada Says Foreign Gay Marriages Invalid

After nine years of valid same-sex marriages in Canada, Canadian government is now saying that foreign same-sex marriages are invalid.  This could affect thousands of couples.  In 2005 Canada legalized gay marriage.  This legalization promoted a flood of same-sex couples from different areas of the world to Canada in order to become a legal union.  Canadian government is now questioning whether or not these marriages from foreigners are valid and choosing not to recognize them as so.  The government in Canada is also questioning whether or not they are going to recognize any same-sex unions.  Without the recognition, couples cannot get divorced if they choose too.  Gay and lesbian couples are unable to get divorced elsewhere other than Canada because other countries do not recognize their marriage as valid.  The government is now questioning many other social issues, not just same-sex marriage, but also abortion.  Evan Wolfson said the following with regards to the impact this has on same-sex couples in Canada “[it is a] preposterous undermining of families.”

            It is hard to believe that this problem did not arise sooner.  To take nine years for the Canadian government to come out and state that they are not going to recognize same-sex marriage is unbelievable.  This news can come to a shock for many gay and lesbian couples.  Those who are seeking a divorce cannot obtain this legal procedure because other countries do not consider their marriages valid.  Canada not recognizing marriage or divorce after thousands of marriages have already occurred is unheard of.  This can put a burden on many families who consist of same-sex parents.  The invalidity of same-sex unions after so many years creates more and more problems both for the individual families but also globally.  As a result of Canada, one of the first countries to legalize gay marriage, saying that these marriages are now invalid, other countries may be more resistant to recognizing and legalizing same-sex marriages in the future.  

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/canada-says-foreign-gay-marriages-invalid-4685853