Bold ruling set the stage for a social revolution

Ten years ago in Alberta, you could be fired from your job for being gay. Ten years ago, you could be evicted from your apartment for being gay. If you were a same-sex couple, a restaurant could refuse to serve you. If your workmates called you names like faggot or dyke, you had little legal recourse.

Ten years ago, Alberta's human rights act simply didn't protect people on their basis of sexual orientation. Nor did Canada's constitution. Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms safeguarded people from discrimination on the basis of race, age, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or physical disabilities. But homosexuals, victims of some of the worst persecution, were denied the legal recognition granted other Canadian citizens.

In a decade, we've experienced a legal and social revolution. It's been a tumultuous culture war, that's left its share of emotional scars. Many Canadians remain unnerved by the distance we've come and the speed at which we've travelled. We have redefined equality, redefined family and redefined marriage -- and expanded our definition of what it means to be a citizen.

full article