07 February 2009

What's with that support case from Quebec?

A spousal support case out of Quebec is all over the headlines lately. The thing is, the case doesn't mean very much from a British Columbia perspective, and it's nothing for anyone in BC to worry about, and this doesn't always come through when you're reading newspaper digests of the case.

The Quebec case involves a common-law relationship and a claim for spousal support. The claimant is arguing that Quebec law breaches her Charter rights as it doesn't allow common-law couples to claim spousal support. That's not the case in BC, where our Family Relations Act has allowed common-law couples to claim support since the 1970s.

See? Doesn't mean much at all.