Regina, Canada
No opt-out: Canadian public officials cannot refuse to marry same-sex couples on religious grounds, an appeals court in the western province of Saskatchewan ruled this week. Canada legalized gay marriage in 2005, but some commissioners in Saskatchewan have refused to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples, saying that doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The province’s appeals court ruling—which is expected to set a precedent for the whole country—said the infringement of religious rights would be minor compared with the discrimination against gays and lesbians that would result were an opt-out allowed. “They’ll have to fire me,” said commissioner Larry Bjerland. “I do not intend to marry any gay couples.”
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