7.2.6 Gender Issues & Equality

7.2.6 Gender Issues & Equality

The two cartoons illustrate two perspectives on marriage.

All Canadians are considered "equal" under the Constitution Act. They are entitled to equal treatment through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Rule of law, or equal treatment under the law is fundamental to a liberal society. However, the Charter does not define or specify the meaning of  what equal treatment means. As a result, other laws have been enacted to ensure equality and protect those equality rights.

Example: Canada defines "marriage".

With the Civil Marriage Act of 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to define marriage formally in such a way that people of the same sex could legally marry. Other benefits previously available only to marriages involving men and women, such as pension and health care benefits, have also been extended to same sex couples. Some people do not agree with this definition. Some people believe homosexuality is wrong.

In the United States, marriage is defined by the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 as a "legal union exclusively between one man and one woman." Although a handful of states (which grant marriage licences) and one Aboriginal nation permit same sex marriage, the unions are not recognized by the federal government.