Canada says to examine gay marriage law next week

OTTAWA, Nov 30 (Reuters) Canada's Parliament will be asked to vote next week on whether to revisit a 2005 law that made gay marriage legal, a member of the government told Reuters.

The ruling Conservatives promised the vote as part of their campaign in the run-up to the Jan. 23 election, which they won with a minority of seats.

Some insiders suspect that the government, which is sliding in opinion polls, wants the vote to fail so the matter can be put to rest once and for all before the next election, which is widely expected to be held early next year.

The legislation, passed under the previous Liberal government, made Canada the fourth country after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain to legalize gay marriage.

A parliamentary debate will start next Wednesday and a vote could be held the same day or on Thursday, depending on how fast the government shuts down discussions. Otherwise legislators would vote the week starting December 11.

Pro gay-marriage activists say they are confident that a majority of legislators will vote against reopening the issue.

The Liberals acted after a number of court rulings that said a ban on gay marriage could be discriminatory.

Groups opposed to gay marriage say Parliament passed the law too quickly and did not properly examine the effect it would have on society.

REUTERS AKJ BST0958