Swarming the altar

last updated 8 January 2015

Toronto

Dozens of gay and lesbian couples in Toronto rushed to get married this week after an Ontario appeals court ruled that homosexuals should be allowed to wed. Some said they wanted to get a marriage license before the government could appeal to the Supreme Court. “It means an awful lot,” said Brian Rolfes, 38. “To be able to go anywhere in the world and be able to say, ‘Well, actually, we’re a married couple.’” Six of Canada’s 10 provinces extend some rights to same-sex couples, and many politicians want to set a national policy. Social conservatives object, saying any change would erode the sanctity of marriage. Polls indicate that most Canadians believe homosexual couples should have the same rights as heterosexuals.