Canada's minority government unveiled draft legislation to permit gay marriage on Tuesday, taking a political gamble on a social issue that has split the country and the ruling Liberal Party. Prime Minister Paul Martin says Ottawa had to act after courts in seven of the country's 10 provinces ruled in favour of same-sex marriages. To do nothing, he argued, would mean gays and lesbians were being discriminated against in the remaining three provinces.
But church groups and the main opposition Conservative Party, which have both suggested that a law on gay marriage could one day lead to the legalisation of polygamy, say they will do all they can to defeat the bill.
If the bill is approved Canada would become the third country in the world after Belgium and Holland to permit same sex marriages.
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said the draft legislation would grant gays and lesbians the right to full civil marriages while making clear that religious officials would not be forced to marry same-sex couples.
"It is the responsibility of Parliament to ensure that these minority rights are uniform across the country," he said in a statement.
"Religious groups remain free to follow their beliefs and no religious official will be forced to perform marriages that are contrary to their beliefs," he added.
Martin says gay marriage is not a confidence issue and that the government will not resign if the bill is defeated when Parliament votes on the matter, most likely later this year.
A poll of all 308 members of Parliament in Tuesday's Globe and Mail newspaper showed that 139 legislators backed the bill, 118 opposed it and 49 were undecided. Almost 30 Liberals say they will vote against.