InQueeries

June 22, 2006

By Gilles Marchildon, Executive Director of Egale Canada

Brokeback Mounties and Tourism

June is prime wedding season but one couple’s nuptials has attracted an inordinate amount of attention.

Jason Tree, 27, and his 28-year old partner David Connors, are getting married by a justice of the peace on June 30, at the Rodd Grand Hotel in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Why did these Maritime sweethearts grab media headlines recently? They’re both constables with the Royal Canadian Mounted Policy (RCMP), commonly known as “Mounties”.

As far as is known, it’s the first time two Mounties of the same sex have gotten married. Constables Tree and Connors will be dressed in the RCMP’s famous bright red uniforms and share their self-written vows with each other as family, friends and co-workers look on.

The pair, together for eight years, live in Meteghan, Nova Scotia. They claim to never have had experienced problems in the workplace. The RCMP even gave them job postings in the same region, as is usually done for couples within the ranks.

Of course, media has been having fun with references to “Brokeback Mounties” and the old RCMP slogan “Mounties always get their man.” When the phrase was created decades ago, to underline the persistence with which RCMP constables tracked outlaws, it was never imagined how it would be used one day!

Same-sex marriage is also popular with another government agency. The Canadian Tourism Commission has been promoting same-sex marriage, hoping to draw in more tourism dollars.

On its website, one reads: “Canada has long been known as one of the most welcoming, tolerant countries in the world. In recent years, courts and governments at both the provincial and federal levels began to reflect this attitude as it pertains to same-sex rights and marriage. In 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in all its 13 provinces and territories.”

Since June 10, 2003, when the Ontario Court of Appeal decision first recognized the legality of equal marriage, at least 10,143 same-sex couples (over 20,000 people!), including many visitors from other countries, have wed in Canada.

On June 9, celebrations were held in Ottawa and Toronto to underline the third anniversary of that court decision.

Unfortunately, a week before, Prime Minister Stephen Harper repeated his pledge to propose re-opening the issue of equal marriage - which, incidentally, would cut off those additional tourism dollars. Furthermore, he instructed his Conservative MPs not to make any public comments on the marrying Mounties.

The horse has been out of the gate for 3 years yet Harper just can’t seem to let it go. Recent Environics polls show two thirds of Canadians are opposed to re-opening debate on equal marriage. In a Canadian Press article published a few weeks ago, several members of Harper’s own cabinet said the issue is settled for them, too. But Harper doesn’t seem ready to budge from his saddle.

Meanwhile, “back at the ranch”, our two Mounties are getting ready to ride off into the sunset together. Actually, their honeymoon will be in France and England, not Brokeback Mountain, Wyoming. Still, “Happy Trails”, Jason and David!

Egale Canada ©2010

Advancing equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families across Canada