The series contains records from Canadians for Equal Marriage. It is composed of records that document the administrative functions, fundraising, strategy building, and lobbying efforts of the Canadians for Equal Marriage Campaign that ran from 2003 to 2005. The series includes minutes, correspondence, fact sheets on Members of Parliament and their ridings, resources on same sex marriage, financial reports and lobbying kits.
Founded in August 2003, Canadians for Equal Marriage was a multi-partisan national advocacy campaign organized to ensure the passage of federal legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. Incorporated in July 2004, CEM worked on lobbying the government, public education campaigns and media outreach to ensure the passage of equal marriage legislation, more specifically Bill C-38. The piece of legislation was designed to bring federal marriage laws into compliance with the Charter, extending equal marriage across the country. Although Canadians for Equal Marriage was structurally and legally independent from Egale, an agreement was made that ensured that Egale would be entitled to its assets once CEM disbanded, following the passage of the equal marriage legislation. Canadians for Equal Marriage partnered with organizations and individuals across the country including the Canadian Federation of Students, Egale Canada, the Canadian Labour Congress, the Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Association of Social Workers. The Campaign developed the www.equal-marriage.ca website, which provided supporters with resources and action steps to support the equal marriage campaign. This included information on how to email Members of Parliament, how to endorse the Canadians for Equal Marriage statement on equal marriage, how to donate or volunteer for the campaign and how to start a local CEM chapter.
