(Angus Reid Consultants - CPOD Global Scan) - Many adults in Canada want to get directly involved in the decisions regarding same-sex marriage, according to a poll by Compas Inc. for the National Post and Global National. 67 per cent of respondents believe the issue should be settled in a national referendum among all Canadians.

Over the past two years, the courts in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and Newfoundland and Labrador have ruled to permit legal same-sex marriages. On Dec. 9, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of allowing the federal government to go ahead with a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. The country's foremost tribunal said the constitution protects the rights of homosexual partners to formalize their bonds. 66 per cent of respondents support keeping the definition of marriage as "a union of one woman and one man to the exclusion of all others."

On Feb. 1, the government introduced legislation aimed at legalizing same-sex marriage in the entire country. Prime minister Paul Martin has guaranteed Liberal party members a "free vote" on the bill. The governing Liberals currently control 134 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons.

Public opinion appears divided on how to grant legal status for gay and lesbian unions. 36 per cent of respondents believe lawmakers should keep the existing legal definition of marriage and set up a separate legal category that includes same-sex unions but would not be called marriage, 35 per cent believe the legal definition of marriage should be changed to include the union of any two persons, regardless of their gender, while 29 per cent are opposed to any law recognizing same-sex unions.

Yesterday, Conservative party leader Stephen Harper said the argument for a nationwide referendum surfaced because "Canadians sense that they are not being listened to by the government." Justice minister Irwin Cotler dismissed the idea, saying a plebiscite "is not the way to go to protect minority rights."

If approved, the law would stipulate that no religious institutions would be forced to perform same-sex marriages.

Polling Data

Should decisions about same-sex marriage be made by.

Do you support strongly, support somewhat, oppose somewhat, or oppose strongly keeping the definition of marriage as a union of one woman and one man to the exclusion of all others?

Suppose you had the following three options. Which would you prefer?

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