From Kathy Belge,
Your Guide to Lesbian Life.
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Hi Kathy!

I'm the pastor at MCC-Windsor. We do a LOT of weddings for Americans (since we are right across the river from Detroit), so I have a lot of experience with same sex marriages in Canada (or Ontario, at least) for Americans.

Your article was great(How to Get Married in Canada)--and thanks for including the information on getting a Canadian divorce! I make sure people know about that--it's all part of the marriage counseling part!

I have done 11 same-sex marriages in the last 6 months--everything from elaborate church weddings to simple just-the-couple-and-their-witnesses ceremonies. They've been at the church, at the art gallery overlooking the Detroit skyline, and at people's homes. Sometimes it was just the couple and family or friends; once the media were there. Couples have come from Michigan. Ohio, Colorado and even Brazil.

I Love Canada

I am loving living in Canada, able to perform same-sex weddings! It's one of my favorite things about pastoring here in Windsor. And I still get teary, every single time...To see the couples as they realize they are really married, that a couple of countries, at least, recognize their bond and their love--what a blessing!

One final note: We are in the midst of some uncertainty about the government here in Canada. If the Conservatives win the election that may be held in late January, they will probably attempt to revoke Bill C-38 (the one legalizing same-sex marriage). They would have a difficult time of it, for Constitutional reasons I won't go into, but it is possible they would try to put a hold on same sex marriages while the issue is thrashed out in the courts. It's doubtful the Conservatives will be able to turn back the clock, but things might be uncertain for a while.

Again, thanks for the great article!

Rev. Martha Daniels

MCC-Windsor