Civil partnership is a wedding, judge rules

Two architects who took part in a civil partnership ceremony in Britain have become the first such couple to be officially recognised as "married".

A senior judge in Canada, where same-sex marriage is recognised, ruled it would be "impermissible discrimination" not to view Wayne Hincks, 44, as married to his partner Gerardo Gallardo.

The Supreme Court of Ontario claimed that the distinction in UK law between civil partnerships and marriage "violates human dignity". It is the first time that a civil partnership ceremony which took place in Britain has been officially treated as a wedding overseas. The case could have implications for the status of British civil partners in a string of other countries.

Mr Hincks, who holds Canadian and British passports, and Mr Gallardo, a dual Mexican and Canadian citizen, had a civil partnership ceremony in Hackney.

The relationship broke down after the pair moved to Toronto. When Mr Hincks sought a divorce, Mr Gallardo refused, arguing that they were not legally married in Canada. It meant Mr Hincks had no right to a share of their home, business and joint bank account.

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