I agree that the vote was redundant for the vast majority of Canadians (given that same-sex marriage is already legal in 8 of the 10 provinces).

However, it is not accurate to say that the provinces have control over laws governing marriage. Only the federal government can define marriage, and only Ottawa can decide who is capable of getting married. In the 8 provinces (and 1 territory) where same-sex marriage is already legal, the courts (not the provincial governments) tossed out the old federal prohibition against gay marriage. The provincial governments control the issuance of marriage licenses, but are otherwise quite irrelevant to the decision over who is entitled to a license.

With the passage of the new federal legislation, the two remaining provinces and two remaining territories where same-sex marriage is not yet legal, will have no choice but to follow suit. The feds call the shots on this issue, and the provinces just handle the paperwork.

The most alarming comment that I saw in this article was the author's highlighting of the fact that Canadians must rely on their rights being "given them by the Supreme Court of Canada." Because so many Canadians (and especially politicians) are willing to lie down and take their orders from an unelected body of judges and elitist lawyers and law professors, they have shown that their country is not a democracy. Of course in the United States we are having to face the same issues. The main difference between the US and Canada, however, is that a person does not risk being prosecuted, losing their job, or forced to pay damanges to persons who are "offended" by their comments. It is stupifying to me that this is the kind of society that many Canadian's want while having the audacity to claim that they have freedom of speech and tolerance. What they (liberals) really mean is that they value diversity and tolerance as long as it agrees with their position.

If the majority of the population in Canada does not want Church of any kind in the State, then why are we now forcing the State on the Church? It is a weak temporary defence to believe that Churchs of any denomination or any faith will be allowed to hold to their beliefs and not have a price to pay for opposing the practice of gay marriage. Yet, at the same time, our govenment will not take a stand to bring accounting practices under tighter legislation in light of all the corporate deception and loss of Canadian revenue in fear of the Accountant revolt?

So what gives secularists the right to force faith driven people and organizations into a position that they are not willing to accept? The ramifications of the gay marriage decision will extend deeper and farther than most are capable of undersatanding without massive personal research. What will be the vote when polygamists and incestors ask for their rights given our liberality on the issue of marriage? How will our future children be educated in school on these topics now that they are legal? How will the traditional family survive given the inclusion of secular definitions in holy matrimony?

Most importantly though, is when are we as Canadians going to wake up and understand our responsibility to our Major trading partner and allie the United States of America and resume our role as a moral leader in World politics. Our military is a shambles and has lost any and all of its glory that freed entire nations from the German Nazis and earned the hearts of many millions of Europeans. Now we are needed in the Middle East and we are nowhere to be found because of the consistant in fighting that is tearing our country apart. If I am not mistaken, it is Canada that Holland holds a day of rememberance for in honour of our once brave and virtuous stand to defend innocent people facing oppresion. I beleive that France too sheds a solemn tear in Rememberance of the efforts and sacrifice of CANADIANS once every year at the monument they built for us!

So why are we focusing in such trivial issues when we are needed as a good mentor to lead developing countries down a safe path to democracy. I think I know why. Probably because we have lost democracy here by handing it over to judges and lawyers in an unhear of new era of Politics soon to be called "Judiciacy."