Franglo

I was always interested in research and data but have become a bit of a geek after enrolling in the Data Analytics Professional Development Course at McGill, which keeps my brain young and engaged. Data is the foundation of all business decisions; logically, this is an excellent skill to add to my resume for the next 20 years. 

I am following Statistics Canada on LinkedIn, and they have released the Census data. Some interesting points out of this data: 

• Among G7 countries, Canada has the highest proportion of common-law couples, mainly due to the popularity of common-law unions in #Québec, where 43% of all common-law couples live.

• Among couples with children in Canada in 2021, those living common-law were more than four times more likely to be stepfamilies (31%) than married couples with children (7%).

Source: Stats Canada

This data shows some of the cultural differences in Quebec. One of the oddities in Quebec French, all swear words relate to the church. tabarnak, the equivalent of the F-word in English, literally translates to the tabernacle, defined in the dictionary as a place of worship. So, it does not come as a surprise that as an act of rebellion, marriage in a church became unpopular, and people opted for civil unions.  

We are part of this group, we opted for a ceremony on a beach in Cuba where we met, but we did not make this agreement legally binding. 

What I found surprising when I moved to Quebec is that civil unions are not recognized in Quebec, and your partner has no rights. The Educaloi website was eye-opening when I relocated. 

As a spouse in Quebec:

• you have no claim to the family home if your name is not on the deed, lease or mortgage, 
• there is no division of property when you separate, 
• there is no compensatory allowance, 
• you cannot ask for support payments, 
• and partners do not inherit from each other without a valid will.   

Let’s put that into perspective, close to 43% of couples in Quebec have no legal protection unless the couple was wise and put that relationship into writing. Creating a legally binding union will cost a thousand dollars. You could live with someone for 10-25 years and be entitled to nothing. 

One of the most important things to do when moving in with your partner is to make things legally binding when you are happy. As older adults, we come into new relationships with assets and responsibilities. It’s prudent to ensure that you are protected, and that is what we did when I moved in, creating a partnership agreement with a notary and purchasing half the house to ensure my name was on the deeds. 

I find it interesting that our government is more interested in vilifying Anglos, that addressing some of the real concerns of their population. Given the statistics, why are common law relationships not protected?  What if a couple is unable to afford the legal fees or are not educated enough to understand the life they have built together, will not be equally divided should they separate? I have not seen the statistics, but I suspect stay at home moms would not benefit under these laws, as they are not generating an income per say. 

The other interesting fact, stepfamilies are four times more likely to be living common law. I wonder if going through a divorce makes you hesitant to contemplate marriage again? What are your thoughts?