 The 1992 decision led the Ontario New Democratic Party government of Bob Rae to introduce the Equality Rights Statute Amendment Act (Bill 167) in 1994, although the bill failed on second reading amid controversy.When Leshner heard of colleagues' plans to try to legalize same-sex civil marriage, he persuaded Stark to get married so the two could start the case.Leshner considered himself to have been in a common law marriage with Stark for 22 years.