Canada becomes 4th nation to allow same-sex marriage

July 20, 2005

With a stroke of the pen, Canadian Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin signed into law Canada's controversial C-38 bill, which legalized same-sex marriage in the country. In doing so, Canada became the fourth nation in the world to grant full legal marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The signature came one day after Canada's Senate voted to adopt the bill Tuesday. The parliament's lower house voted to pass C-38 earlier this year. The law makes national same sex marriage rights that are already legalized in eight of the country's 10 provinces.

The other three countries that have similar laws are The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.