Age Difference

[tuyen]

Gay or straight , black or white, old or young, fat or slim. We all have the same human rights in Canada, assuming you are human.

The issue isn't about what human rights you have IN Canada. She was saying that coming TO Canada isn't a right.

 

[tuyen]

I have a civil partnership. Known as a civil union. Regardless I am sure you will keep telling me it means nothing.

I'm sure your civil union means something to YOU on an emotional level. But my point was that - on a legal level - your civil union in England will in no way be an impediment to getting married in Canada. The fact remains that you're NOT married as far as England is concerned, and you're NOT married as far as Canada is concerned. Therefore, nothing stops you from getting married in Canada. This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.

 

[herewecome]

I'm sure your civil union means something to YOU on an emotional level. But my point was that - on a legal level - your civil union in England will in no way be an impediment to getting married in Canada. The fact remains that you're NOT married as far as England is concerned, and you're NOT married as far as Canada is concerned. Therefore, nothing stops you from getting married in Canada. This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.

It is legally binding. I am interested in where your knowledge of gay civil unions come from? Are you in one yourself?

And a civil union has to be dissolved before you can get married

http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/generale/sep-div-a.htm#dissolving

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

It is legally binding. I am interested in where your knowledge of gay civil unions come from? Are you in one yourself?

And a civil union has to be dissolved before you can get married

http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/generale/sep-div-a.htm#dissolving

That link says that getting married automatically dissolves the civil union. Does that also apply to gay marriages?

 

[tuyen]

It is legally binding. I am interested in where your knowledge of gay civil unions come from? Are you in one yourself?

I didn't realize it was a requirement to actually be part of a gay civil union in order to know something about how marriage laws work. :

And a civil union has to be dissolved before you can get married

http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/generale/sep-div-a.htm#dissolving

I really love it when people don't read the very things THEY post.

It's right there, in a huge yellow box to make sure it catches your attention:

[pre]

[glow=yellow,1,50]
Please note

Two people joined by a civil union do not need to dissolve the union in
order to marry each other. The marriage automatically dissolves the
civil union, while maintaining the rights and obligations created by the
civil union under the Civil Code.

As I've been trying to tell you for the last couple of days, a "civil union" is NOT an impediment to marriage in Canada.

But I'm sure you're still not convinced, right?

 

[herewecome]

And as I have said, I do not want my civil partnership dissolved. It does not sit right with me. So I guess I wait it out for the UK government to change the law which is expected in the next few years and it will be seen as marriage in Canada.

I didn't mean to cause offence by asking if you were in a similar situation. I just wondered how you knew so much about it. I mean until only last year Brits who had a marriage ceremony to their same sex partner in Canada weren't legally married.

 

[tuyen]

And as I have said, I do not want my civil partnership dissolved. It does not sit right with me.

Please explain this...because I'm way beyond fascinated right now.

You want to be married, right? So by getting married, your civil union is automatically dissolved (at least as far as Canada is concerned - and your civil union status will still exist in the UK). It's not like you have to go out of your way to do anything difficult, and it won't cost you so much as one extra penny.

I would assume that being able to get married is more important to you than having a civil union, which is why you were inquiring about it in the first place. So if you know that you CAN get married, and nothing's stopping you, then what is this inexplicable attachment you have to your civil union classification?

I didn't mean to cause offence by asking if you were in a similar situation.

I'm not in a similar situation, and there was no offense taken.

I just wondered how you knew so much about it. I mean until only last year Brits who had a marriage ceremony to their same sex partner in Canada weren't legally married.

If you're both going to be living in Canada, why does it matter to you what the UK does with their marriage or civil union laws?

 

[herewecome]

Please explain this...because I'm way beyond fascinated right now.

You want to be married, right? So by getting married, your civil union is automatically dissolved (at least as far as Canada is concerned). It's not like you have to go out of your way to do anything difficult, and it won't cost you so much as one extra penny.

I would assume that being able to get married is more important to you than having a civil union, which is why you were inquiring about it in the first place. So if you know that you CAN get married, and nothing's stopping you, then what is this inexplicable attachment you have to your civil union classification?

I'm not in a similar situation, and there was no offense taken.

If you're both going to be living in Canada, why does it matter to you what the UK does with their marriage or civil union laws?

I don't want to get married if it dissolves my civil partnership which in the UK is seen as the SAME as straight marriage (immigration is under the same class and common law is treated v differently, taxes, etc) As I said in a few years Canada will recognise it as married anyway which ultimately is what I want - same recognition in Canada as the UK.

It also matters because we are both British and take interest in our country.

I just find it an interesting ideosyncrasy that we are afforded the status of married in the UK (while legally thats not the word, a lot of documentation will call it that) but not in Canada. But like I said, it will change soon and we don't have to have any ceremony and we will be classed married in the UK and Canada.

I don't know whether its your written tone but by questioning why anyone would care their civil partnership, you come across as offensive. Can you please tone it down a bit? I have explained that it is seen as the same as marriage in the UK so I have never even heard someone refer to it as anything less.

 

[tuyen]

I don't want to get married if it dissolves my civil partnership which in the UK is seen as the SAME as straight marriage (immigration is under the same class and common law is treated v differently, taxes, etc)

As I've already said - you can get married IN CANADA, and you will still have your civil union status in the UK.

I don't know whether its your written tone but by questioning why anyone would care their civil partnership

I never questioned your PARTNERSHIP. My question was why your STATUS (the term used to describe your partnership) is more important to you than being able to get married. And the reason I questioned it is because from my point of view, it's completely asinine (no offense). I mean, we have gay couples by the thousands across Canada who couldn't WAIT for the day when they could finally get married, and even today, we have gay couples coming up from the U.S. into Canada JUST to get married, even though their marriages won't be recognized in the majority of the Sates. And then, here you are, with a completely hassle-free opportunity to get married, and you're turning it down all because of some legal mumbo-jumbo that applies only in the UK, which will soon be completely irrelevant to you once you're no longer living there.

That's why I was baffled and fascinated at the same time - because you're pretty much spitting in the face of an opportunity that most gay couples around the world in your position would give nearly anything to have.

you come across as offensive. Can you please tone it down a bit?

Sorry, can't help you there. It's all part of my lovable nature.

 

[aerogurl87]

I get where tuyen is coming from. It doesn't really make sense to not get married when that is what you want to do and have the opportunity to do so. I mean my boyfriend and I are common law in Canada but it isn't recognized in the US, which we could care less about since we aren't going to be living in the States. So I guess that is why it doesn't make sense.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

I get where tuyen is coming from. It doesn't really make sense to not get married when that is what you want to do and have the opportunity to do so. I mean my boyfriend and I are common law in Canada but it isn't recognized in the US, which we could care less about since we aren't going to be living in the States. So I guess that is why it doesn't make sense.

I think the point herewecome was trying to make was that getting married in Canada dissolves his civil partnership. Canadian marriage is not recognized there as is his civil partnership is not recognized here. I can see his predicament. either way he has to make a choice. Not very fair.

 

[aerogurl87]

I think the point herewecome was trying to make was that getting married in Canada dissolves his civil partnership. Canadian marriage is not recognized there as is his civil partnership is not recognized here. I can see his predicament. either way he has to make a choice. Not very fair.

Oh no I get that, but I think what tuyen was saying is if you are gonna be settling down in Canada, why does your status in the UK take precedence over what will help you in the future? I mean the situation isn't fair, but not all countries have the same laws. If something happened to me in the US my boyfriend would have no say at the hospital, whereas in Canada he would. But we aren't settling down in the US, so their laws don't matter as much to us. If that makes sense, not trying to be mean or start anything.

 

[tuyen]

If that makes sense, not trying to be mean or start anything.

Start something! Start something!

For once, I want something to already be started when I jump in..

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Oh no I get that, but I think what tuyen was saying is if you are gonna be settling down in Canada, why does your status in the UK take precedence over what will help you in the future? I mean the situation isn't fair, but not all countries have the same laws. If something happened to me in the US my boyfriend would have no say at the hospital, whereas in Canada he would. But we aren't settling down in the US, so their laws don't matter as much to us. If that makes sense, not trying to be mean or start anything.

At the risk of speaking for him its like having to get married again every time you move to a different country. Just because they will primarily be living here doesn't mean they may not frequently shuttle between the the 2 countries. Maybe they still would like to have access to benefits when they are back in the UK? Or maybe they have plans to go back there when they retire? Who knows?