Bill S-4

1st Session, 38th Parliament,

53 Elizabeth II, 2004

senate of canada

BILL S-4

An Act to amend the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act and the Interpretation Act in order to affirm the meaning of marriage

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

MARRIAGE (PROHIBITED DEGREES) ACT

1. The long title of the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act is replaced by the following:

An Act respecting marriage

2. Section 1 of the Act is replaced by the following:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the Marriage Act.

MEANING OF MARRIAGE

1.1 Marriage is the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others,

(a) solemnized under the laws of the province in which the marriage takes place; or

(b) valid by the law of a foreign country in which the marriage takes place if the marriage is also recognized as valid in Canada under the laws of Canada.

PROHIBITED DEGREES

INTERPRETATION ACT

3. Subsection 35(1) of the Interpretation Act is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“marriage” means a marriage within the meaning of section 1.1 of the Marriage Act;