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Nunavut Territory began granting marriage licences to same-sex couples upon the passage of the federal Civil Marriage Act on July 20, 2005.
On 30 October 2003, Premier Paul Okalik made the following statement:
"If developments in the Parliament of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada result in the definition of marriage being broadened, we will respect the law and comply with that. In the meantime, anyone in Nunavut who has been legally married anywhere will be recognized by the Government of Nunavut as married."He further suggested that the territory would perform same-sex divorces should the issue arise.
Premier Okalik succeeded in passing a territorial human rights code banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. As well, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal MP for the riding of Nunavut, was re-elected in the 2006 election after having supported same-sex marriage.
During the March, 2004 general election in Nunavut, one of Premier Okalik's main opponents ran on the basis that he would repeal the territory's human rights legislation on sexual orientation, and would not recognize same-sex marriages.
In October 2011, the Marriage Act was amended by replacing the words "husband and wife" with "spouses". The Adoption Act was also amended by changing the definition of spouse to include same-sex couples, thus allowing them to adopt children jointly.