Comments on: Harper government reopens same-sex marriage issue, promises not to reopen it https://mattblair.ca/2012/01/12/harper-government-reopens-same-sex-marriage-issue-promises-not-to-reopen-it/ Toronto creative classer and family man Mon, 19 Aug 2013 13:49:16 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 By: Erin https://mattblair.ca/2012/01/12/harper-government-reopens-same-sex-marriage-issue-promises-not-to-reopen-it/#comment-2581 Erin Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:05:16 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2738#comment-2581 Thanks, Matt. I was hoping it was all just sensation journalism but I guess I’m not surprised.

]]> By: Matt https://mattblair.ca/2012/01/12/harper-government-reopens-same-sex-marriage-issue-promises-not-to-reopen-it/#comment-2580 Matt Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:56:21 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2738#comment-2580 Erin, it’s true that you can’t just cross the border and get divorced. Your friend is right about that, and the Ontario government’s been dealing with that issue for a while.

But although today’s debate originated with a divorce case, it was the Department of Justice lawyer’s ruling that the 2005 marriage itself wasn’t valid that set things off.

]]> By: Erin https://mattblair.ca/2012/01/12/harper-government-reopens-same-sex-marriage-issue-promises-not-to-reopen-it/#comment-2579 Erin Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:53:39 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2738#comment-2579 A lawyer friend of mine today told me that actually, this has nothing to do with same-sex marriage and only affects divorce and the issue of residence. As he explained it, there is a legal requirement of a 1 year residency in Ontario before a divorce can be granted. Since the couple was married in Canada and their marriage isn’t recognised in their home country, they must then be divorced in Canada, which is a problem because they don’t meet the residency requirement. I’d like to believe him that this is all sensationally blown out of proportion, but it doesn’t seem like it can be that simple (plus he’s a staunch Conservative so I’m not sure I trust him, frankly). Has anybody else heard anything along these lines?

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