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At the hearings held in Sudbury on April 9, 2003, NAWL appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights to present our views on the question of whether the federal government should recognize same-sex marriages. We urged the committee members not to be swayed by political and social prejudice and stereotyping born of religious dogma and right-wing ideology, and to keep in mind their obligations as law makers, to ensure that laws in this area reflect the egalitarian values and human rights enshrined in our constitution, including the obligation to ensure that all persons enjoy equal recognition at law and the obligation to advance the equality rights of historically disadvantaged groups, such as lesbians, bisexual and transgendered women. We went to the hearings prepared to talk about the importance of applying basic human rights principles of gender equality, respect for human dignity, and the freedom to make fundamental choices about adult personal relationships.
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