Saskatchewan Seeks Marriage Exemption

Saskatchewan's provincial government wants to allow its officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages if they object on religious grounds.

The province's Saskatchewan Party government is seeking a legal opinion on whether its proposed legislation is in compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday. Provincial Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan told the CBC the state government will propose two options to the court -- one that would allow existing marriage commissions to refuse to perform same-sex marriages and another in which a religious exemption would be granted to future commissioners.

The last party to rule the province, the New Democrats, refused to allow any exemptions. The Saskatchewan Party was only formed in 1997 and took over late in 2007.