Now, let’s review: these fellows aren’t pretending to be married, they’re not claiming that they’re married, they aren’t even insisting that they’re married. They are married. Just because the US doesn’t have gay marriage doesn’t mean that it’s not true.
Why is it not acceptable for two Canadian citizens to indicate their marital status under Canadian law at the Canada-US border? They don’t stop being married when they cross into the US.
I think this decision is highly unfair. It’s a draconian application of a lacuna in American law. I think that customs officials at the Canadian border, dealing with Canadians who live in Canada and who are families under Canadian law, ought to deal with them as families, if only for the sake of good relations with their northern neighbour and the respect of human dignity.
The US customs service needs to figure out a procedure to deal with this one pronto.
See, there’s your problem. You uppity Canucks keep forgetting that you’re seen in DC as the 51st state and therefore your little “gay marriage” thing has about as much relevance to Georgia’s internal state policies as Vermont’s little “civil union” thing does.
I agree with you, though, matt (what a surprise!). The US position on gay marriages is rapidly fossilizing and contributing to our laughing-stock potential worldwide…
I wonder what would happen if polygamous family that was legally married in their own country attempted to do the same thing. We obviously don’t recognize polygamy in this country, and neither does Canada. So if one of the wives refuses to file as a single person, what happens? Any immigration lawyers?
So, hypothetically, I can bring my gun into Canada, since it’s legal here in the US. Wouldn’t you agree?
Just because something is legal in one place does not necessarily make it legal everywhere else. This is a bad example of that, but that’s how it is until the situation is remedied by law. shrug
Obviously, many people here are very proud of their ignorance of the law. There is no part of international law that requires one nation to recognize the marriages of another. Essentially, it is only done when that marriage would be generally legal nationwide in the nation one is entering.
Of course, if you insist that the USA MUST honor such things, then, in total agreement wit you, since I can legally carry a concealed firearm in the US, I could likewise legally carry a concealed firearm in Canada.
So you’re positing that firearms, something that could kill someone, be used in a robbery, terrorist activity and the like is analagous to being married. Interesting.
"The couple’s lawyer, Doug Elliott, said he has spoken to Ottawa on the issue and is investigating whether legal action can be taken against the governments of Canada and the U.S. "
Why? I can think of no reason either logically or realistically why it would be improper for states to choose which laws should be upheld across borders.
What an Orwellian thread title. A couple decides not to enter the US, and they’re “barred”? They have the right to call themselves married. And the US has the right to call them single.
I guess I would argue that there is a law against bringing your gun into Canada, but there is no law against bringing a gay person into the United States. That I know of.
Essentially, these guys were denied entry not because they violated a U.S. law, but because U.S. law doesn’t cover their situation. They can’t file as a married couple because the American married couple forms are for heterosexual couples only; it would be false for them to file as single people, because they are married. They cannot file, and therefore cannot enter.
