Kings-Hants MP ties the knot

BY JENNIFER TAPLIN

Transcontinental Media

Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison and Maxime St. Pierre walked down the aisle to “It’s A Wonderful World” and walked back to “I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain Has Gone”.

The second song elicited laughter from the crowd of about 200, as most of them were still soggy from the downpour Saturday afternoon.

Liberal MP Ken Dryden, who described the scene, said that was just the feeling of the day.

“It just felt like an absolute celebration,” he said outside the Cheverie United Church following the ceremony. “It was clear at the start people were applauding, and then feeling a little uncomfortable about applauding, and then people couldn’t stop themselves.”

It was a historic wedding, as Brison became the first MP to marry a same-sex partner.

The happy couple, who wore summer suits, seemed nervous at the beginning of the ceremony, Dryden said. “The feeling in the church was so terrific that I think they couldn’t help but have a good time as each minute passed,” he said. “They were very serious and very emotional in that way. It was really nice.”

Security was tight

Hours before, security was tight on Leander Macumber Road, which led to Brison’s seaside home on the Hants Shore. A private security team monitored traffic and at least six RCMP officers patrolled the area.

“We’re here to worry about traffic congestion. We have nothing to do with the security of the wedding at all,” said Const. Jay White.

Even with so many officers, White said he didn’t expect much of a traffic snarl since it wasn’t a very big wedding.

When asked if the Brison camp had requested RCMP assistance, White said, “my boss asked me to take part in this. I don’t know who asked him.”

The church was jammed with people, including some guests who had to stand at the back.

Although it was unclear what the official wedding colours were, one could easily have been red, judging from the number of high-profile Liberals in the audience: former prime minister Paul Martin, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, former Liberal defence minister Bill Graham, Dartmouth MP Mike Savage, former Ontario premier Bob Rae, former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna and Senator Jim Cowan. Former Tory prime minister Joe Clark also attended.

Under an umbrella, Dion quipped to the media that it was a “sunny day in our hearts.

“I was proud when Scott Brison came out of the closet and openly said he was a Liberal,” he joked, then more seriously: “I think this is the first time on this planet that a member of a national parliament got married with a partner of the same sex, so it’s a historic moment.”

Dion said he was primarily in attendance to celebrate the love and happiness between two of his friends, and secondly to reinforce the right of gays to marry and to encourage other countries to do the same.

‘Something we need to celebrate’: Dion

“For Canadians, we are one of the rare countries who have recognized this right — I think we are five countries now,” he said. “The first time we have a member of Parliament who gets married in this context, I think this is something we need to celebrate. We must be proud that Canada is showing the way.

“I just want to add that it’s a good symbol for Canadians that this first marriage is between a francophone and an anglophone and celebrated in both languages.”

Senator Jim Cowan said the guests were all delighted to be there. “It was just a beautiful ceremony and lots of good feeling all around,” he said.

In his car before the ceremony, McKenna said if this wedding had happened several years ago, it would’ve been a “very different event with a very different reaction.”

And after the church service, McKenna described it as solemn, joyful and respectful, and said the couple seemed “radiant.

“I think everybody in the room felt like they were part of a history-making event. It seemed like a validation of a long process. I think everybody who was here was very moved by the experience.”

He said Canadians have evolved in the past year or two and he believes the debate over gay marriage is over.

Brison, 40, had refused to comment on the ceremony and details were kept quiet by his family and friends.

- The Daily News