Yellowknife (Feb 11/05) - The long-awaited introduction this week of a federal same sex-marriage bill was heralded as a victory by NWT gay rights activists, but received only tepid approval from Western Arctic MLA Ethel Blondin-Andrew.

"It's the next step towards granting full equality rights to gays and lesbians," said Don Babey, a member of Out North and the Northern chapter of Canadians for Equal Marriage.

Introduced in the House of Commons last week, Bill C-38 would amend the definition of marriage to include "any two persons, to the exclusion of all others."

"Only equal access to marriages for civil purposes would respect the right of couples to equality without discrimination," read a pre-amble to the bill.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has ordered his cabinet to support the bill, but backbenchers will be allowed a free vote.

Western Arctic MP and Minister State for Northern Development Ethel Blondin-Andrew said she will be voting in favour of the legislation along with the rest of her cabinet colleagues.

During an interview after the bill's introduction though, Blondin-Andrew declined to discuss her views on topic.

"I don't have an opinion on gay marriage, but I will be supporting it," she said.

"I'm not entitled to a personal opinion. I'm a minister. My personal opinion is personal."

The legislation contains a carefully worded section targeting conservative and religious groups who have opposed same-sex unions on the basis they would infringe on religious rights.

"Nothing in this act affects... the freedom of religious groups to refuse to perform marriages that are not in accordance with their religious beliefs," the pre-amble said.

Rev. Liz Richards, head of the Yellowkinfe United Church, believes "religious groups are well protected by the legislation."

"Equality rights for gay and lesbian couples will do nothing to change that fact," Babey said.

Richards said her church has already blessed a same-sex union and the congregation would consider performing a marriage should the bill pass.

"We are still in the early stages of the discussion process," she said. "Blessing a union and performing a marriage are two different things."

Courts in seven Canadian provinces have already granted marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples, but the NWT is not one of those jurisdictions.

"That means same-sex marriage is less equal in the Northwest Territories and that's not acceptable," said Babey.

The passage of the same-sex marriage act, however, is far from assured. A poll released last week by The Globe and Mail showed 139 MPs were in favour of the bill with 119 opposed.

The remaining 49 are undecided or refused to give their position. There are 154 votes needed for the bill to pass. Justice Minister Irwin Cotler expects a vote on the bill sometime in the summer.

- With files from Mike W. Bryant