Statistics Canada released today the results of the 2001 Census, which, for the first time ever, asked a question about same-sex relationships. The results show a total of 34,200 same-sex common-law couples reporting their relationships, representing 0.5% of couples who reported. About 15% of lesbian couples and 3% of gay male couples reported raising children.
Today’s figures are higher than the results obtained the first time the question was asked in the United States (0.3% in 1990) or in New Zealand (0.4% in 1996). Reporting of same-sex couples increased by more than 300% in the United States from the first time the question was asked in 1990 to the second time it was asked in 2000, when 1% of couples reported being in a same-sex relationship.
“We welcome today’s results as a first step towards building a national profile of the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities,” said John Fisher, Executive Director of Egale, a national organization committed to advancing equality and justice for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, and their families, across Canada. “Although today’s results provide only a minimum baseline of the number of same-sex couples willing to self-identify to the government, 34,000 couples, or 68,000 individuals, still represents a population the size of a town like Drummondville, North Bay or Red Deer. Also significant is the fact that the census shows same-sex couples reporting their relationships in every province and territory of Canada, from 12,500 couples in Ontario to 15 couples in Nunavut, and everywhere in-between. Same-sex couples were also reported in virtually every federal riding of Canada, which sends a powerful message to Members of Parliament – some of whom believe that lesbian, gay and bisexual issues do not affect their rural ridings – that same-sex couples are an integral part of Canadian family life, in communities large and small, rural and urban, across the country.”
“The fact that the question was asked at all is significant,” said Jérôme St-Denis, who has been in a same-sex relationship with Fisher for more than seven years. “When John and I filled out the 1996 census, we were excluded, and felt marginalized and invisible. The 2001 Census was a chance for us to count ourselves in, and see our relationship recognized by our government. That in itself is an indication of how much has changed in recent years. The Census represents how we see ourselves as Canadians and is a reflection of our national identity. All Canadians can take pride in the fact that our country’s national profile includes same-sex couples.”
“It is important to emphasize that our right to equality does not depend on a numbers game or a popularity contest – it is guaranteed by the Constitution,” added Fisher. “We also recognize that there will be significant under-reporting of same-sex relationships this first time the question is asked. Many lesbians, gays and bisexuals are not comfortable identifying themselves to their family, friends or employers, let alone the federal government. We have to remember that this is a government which, even today, is facing us across a courtroom, fighting to maintain discriminatory marriage laws. The fact that 15% of lesbian couples and 3% of gay male couples are parenting children totally undermines the government’s argument that same-sex couples should be denied the right to marry because they are not parenting children.”
Egale also pointed out that the census results only address cohabiting same-sex couples, not lesbians, gays or bisexuals who are single, or who are not cohabiting with a partner. Nor do the census results contain any information on transgendered Canadians.
For more information:
John Fisher, Executive Director, Egale
613-230-1043
cell: 613-291-5187
john@egale.ca
Jérôme St-Denis
jstdenis@cyberus.ca
Egale Canada ©2007