This story suggests that the next prime minister of Canada is likely to pull back from the government’s attempt to impose gay marriage on the country as a whole. Paul Martin, the man in line to be the new prime minister, is hinting that he may propose civil unions instead. Of course, Vermont-style civil unions–which are marriage in all but name–would still represent a serious setback for institutional marriage. But in light of the seeming inevitability of national, court-imposed gay marriage in Canada, a shift to civil unions would be very meaningful. In general, the intense negative reaction to Canada’s court decisions has sent a warning sign to legislators in Canada–and in the United States.