The measure is expected to become law in July if it is also agreed by the upper house, the Senate, and would make Canada the third country after Belgium and the Netherlands to take such action.

Canada's churches have been divided on same-sex marriage, with the Roman Catholic Church opposing it, and the United Church of Canada saying it "unequivocally" supports the rights of same-sex couples to have access to civil marriage.

"It doesn't change anything for our church - just because the government of Canada has legitimised marriage for same-gender couples, our church practice is still opposed to it," said Ray Schultz, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

Still, the Lutheran denomination is to consider a resolution at its 21-24 July convention which would enable a "local option" for congregations to perform same-sex blessings, a matter that has led to heated debate in the 182 000 member denomination.

The measure before Canada's parliament would change the definition of marriage as being contracted "between a man and a woman" to read "between two persons". It was agreed by the House of Commons on 28 June.

"I have not seen the bill, but the promise was that clergy would not be forced to perform marriages that contradicted the policy of their church," Schultz told Ecumenical News International, noting he had written in 2004 to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on the issue.

"I said our church supports equal human rights for all people. That a lot of our people would be more comfortable if it wasn't called marriage," said Schultz. "But from a secular point of view, I did not have any opposition to the government going ahead with this action."

The Anglican Church of Canada plans to discuss same-sex blessings at its general synod in 2007. So far, only one Anglican diocese - New Westminster - has authorised a rite to bless same-sex unions.