No Canadian referendum on same-sex marriage after high court ruling News
No Canadian referendum on same-sex marriage after high court ruling

[JURIST] Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin has joined opposition leaders in rejecting a call for a national referendum on same-sex marriage in the wake of Thursday's Supreme Court of Canada ruling (reported in JURIST's Paper Chase) that opened the way for federal legislation legalizing the unions. Maverick Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, known for his conservative views on a range of social issues, had called for the vote in words echoed by conservative groups in the Canadian west and other parts of Canada, but Martin and federal politicians have indicated that this a matter for parliament to decide. Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cottler condemned Klein's ploy over the weekend, saying it was an attempt to "do an end run around the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And it won't work.". CTV News has more.