Did you know that Canada was the first country of the continent to legalize same-sex unions?

Social equity has always been a big concern for Canada and this is why on the 20th of July 2005 the gay marriage was approved, as well as the adoption of children by same-sex couples.

Homosexuals are the persons who have affective, emotional, sentimental, and sexual attraction towards individuals of the same sex. This term derives from the Greek ὁμο, homo "equal", and Latin sexus "sex". In the attempt to strengthen the rights of freedom and especially values of tolerance, respect and social and civil equality, the law was promulgated. The preliminary voting was done and the results in the House of Commons were as follows: 158 votes in favor and 133 votes against. Subsequently the law went on to Senate, where was approved on the 19th of July, 2005 by senators with the following results: 46 votes in favor and 22 votes against. The Civil Marriage Act was enacted only one day later, on the 20th of July, 2005 by Beverly McLachlin, the President of the Supreme Court at that time. At this point Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same sex unions, being the first country outside Europe to allow them. Chronologically speaking, the pioneer in this trend was Holland, which in September 2000 became the first country to legalize marriage between same-sex couples, as well as to allow the adoption of children by gay couples. Dutch law came into force on the 1st of April, 2001. Belgium became the second European country to authorize these unions on the 1st of June 2003 and consequently the law on adoption of children in 2006. Later Spain, under the government of the President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, after reform of the Civil Code, introduced a law on the 3rd of July 2005 in order to legalize gay marriage. Currently gay marriage is legal in the following countries: Holland, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, New Zealand, Uruguay, France, Luxembourg, and Finland. In the United States gay marriage is allowed in the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maryland, Washington, Maine, and Columbia. This is how Canada became a mainstream destination for the same-sex people who want to legalize their love but are incapable of doing it in their countries of origin.