The legislation is called: "An Act respecting certain aspects of legal capacity for marriage for civil purposes."

Creation of this law made SSM available in every province and territory in Canada. Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriages, after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.

"After five years of rancorous debate in courtrooms, cabinet rooms and living rooms across the country, the law was brought into reality with a simple signature. Following this historic moment, the world did not stand still to listen to the roar of celebratory fireworks. No church bells peeled and traffic wasn't snarled by widespread dancing in the streets. The world simply turned on - and that's the way it should be. The language of debate over the past five years has reflected that at the heart of the debate was not just the question of a small wording change to a marriage law, but more profound questions: 'Are individuals in same-sex relationships persons under the law or not?'; 'Do we form families or not?'. "Are we deserving of dignity or not." Finally the leaders of our country have answered those questions with 'Yes'." ₅

"This is a proud and exciting time to be a Canadian. Today, we made history. Today, we affirmed once again our world-wide reputation as a country that is open, inclusive and welcoming."

"You have taken a stand in favor of equality and for that we are truly grateful. We thank you for your help—writing and visiting MPs, attending public events, volunteering, donating money to help us make our case. Without the active engagement of tens of thousands of Canadians, from coast to coast to coast, this legislation would not have seen the light of day. It’s not often you can say 'I helped change our country for the better.' But, working together, we can certainly say with pride that we were all part of making history happen."

"In a generation, Canadians will look back on a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people were denied full citizenship, just as we look back on the days when women or Aboriginal people could not vote or times when Canadian citizens were interned because of ethnic origin. We will talk about these days and this battle. We will be proud, as Canadians, that we rejected rejection, that we ended exclusion, that we said to LGBT people: 'there are no second-class Canadians, you are full members of the community, without caveat or exceptions'." ₆

"....By becoming just the fourth nation in the world to allow homosexuals to wed, this country has burnished its image as a decent, tolerant nation. The prejudice against gays and lesbians is one of the oldest there is. For millennia, they have been shunned as deviants, freaks and outcasts. The same-sex-marriage bill signals that, officially at least, that long, dark era of ostracism is over. Homosexuals are at last considered full and equal members of the human family....To deny homosexuals the blessing of marriage was not only cruel but stupid. Cruel, because it marked them as lesser beings, unlikely to form lasting bonds of affection and unworthy of society's approbation. Gays and lesbians grew up knowing that, however deep their love for another, they would never be married. Stupid, because it reinforced the very traits that many in straight society found disturbing: promiscuity, flamboyance, irresponsibility. As long as society treated them as queer, many homosexuals threw the taunt back by embracing the party lifestyle, forming a rich underworld where they could feel accepted and safe. Now, at last, they can feel that way in the light of day....by opening the door to its central institution, society is signaling that there is a secure place for them in the wider world. That is good for homosexual society, which can grow beyond its stage of adolescent rebellion. It is also good for society at large, which has a strong interest in lasting unions and responsible sexual conduct. Of course, prejudice against gays and lesbians lives on. The approval of same-sex marriage will not banish an age-old hatred overnight. Married or otherwise, homosexuals will continue to struggle for understanding and acceptance. But welcoming them into the compact of marriage is the surest signal a society can send that it no longer considers them beyond the pale. They are family now. Canada is one of the first places in the world to say that. Canadians should feel proud." ₇

Negative reactions to the passage of C-38

Subsequent developments

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