officials who do not wish to perform a same-sex marriage. This would have meant that an Alberta marriage commissioner who refused to solemnize same-sex marriages would not be liable for dismissal on those grounds. However, no such legislation was passed, indicative of the "sea change" in attitudes towards same-sex marriage in Alberta. This mirrored similar developments in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan where courts have twice struck down attempts to exempt marriage commissioners from performing same-sex weddings. The first same-sex couple to receive a marriage licence in Alberta were Keenan Carley and Robert Bradford in Edmonton just hours after the Act received royal assent on July 20. The couple had to wait until provincial officials instructed all registry offices to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and the licence forms were changed from stating "Bride" and "Groom" to "Partner 1" and "Partner 2". The couple said, "It's wonderful feeling to know that it can finally be official. [...] It means that when we do have that ceremony, it will be legal, that we will be recognized as a married couple by the province of Alberta and the government of Canada. And that's a great thing." Provincial legislation Marriage Act The position of Premier Ralph Klein and the Progressive Conservative government had been to attempt to block same-sex marriages in Alberta should a court case require it or federal legislation pass it nationwide. On March 16, 2000, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta passed Bill 202 which amended the provincial Marriage Act to include a heterosexual-only definition of marriage. The bill also invoked the Notwithstanding Clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This insulated the Marriage Act from any legal challenge based on violation of Charter rights, including the Section 15 equality guarantees. Under the terms of the Notwithstanding Clause, such a declaration is effective for only five years after it comes into force. For the Marriage Act, this period expired on March 23, 2005. Premier Klein sent mixed messages about whether it would be renewed; ultimately, it was not. The Minister of Government Services, Ty Lund, tabled a report at the conservative caucus on April 4, 2005, stating that the Federal Government, not the provinces, has the exclusive jurisdiction to define marriage. The report further stated that if Alberta renewed the declaration in the Act by using the Notwithstanding Clause, the "government would be needlessly wasting time and money".