Supreme Court to hear SF gay marriage flap May 25
DAVID KRAVETS
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court announced Wednesday it will hold oral arguments May 25 on the question of whether San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom had the authority to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

The seven-member court said it would devote two hours to the arguments. Under court rules, the justices must rule within 90 days. The cases, brought by Attorney General Bill Lockyer and the Alliance Defense Fund - a conservative group opposing gay marriage - focus almost exclusively on whether Newsom could issue same-sex marriage licenses by unilaterally declaring that same-sex marriage should be lawful.

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Gay marriage proponents urge Canadians to choose equality in federal vote
By RITA TRICHUR

TORONTO (CP) - Gay-rights leaders are urging Canadians to "vote for equality" as they mobilize to be a force in the next federal election with a blacklist of candidates they want to see defeated.

"This is more than just the gay vote," Laurie Arron, spokesman for Egale Canada, said Wednesday. "This is about people who care about the charter," he said outside the riding office of Toronto Liberal MP Dennis Mills, one of 145 politicians and candidates recommended for defeat by the coalition Canadians for Equal Marriage.

The coalition, which comprises Egale Canada, the United Church of Canada, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the Canadian Labour Congress, has rated hundreds of sitting politicians and candidates since March 22. To date, the coalition is recommending 145 be defeated, and 297 are viewed as "supportive" to same-sex marriage. "Supportive candidates outnumber those opposed to equal marriage by almost 2 to 1," said coalition co-chairman Alex Munter.