Two issues in Canada that I don't understand

[DeadPoolX 9]

Seeing as how I am not Canadian, I have trouble understanding a couple of issues. Here they are...

1. If a woman wishes to have a double-barreled name (i.e. Smith-Jones), why must she fill out a "change of name" form in British Columbia? It wouldn't take a huge leap in logic to understand that a woman with a double-barreled surname, after reviewing her birth and marriage certificates, wouldn't be the same person. As far as I know -- and I may be wrong about this -- this isn't a problem in other provinces. Perhaps the worst part about it is the woman will have her birth certificate legally changed. Why should she have to go through that? It seems odd and unnecessary.

2. What is the deal with Quebec? I know it's part of Canada, but there seems to be some animosity between Quebec and the rest of the Canadian provinces. I'm not quite sure I understand the reason why or the origin of it. Could someone here help me out a little?

[trailmix 77]

1. If a woman wishes to have a double-barreled name (i.e. Smith-Jones), why must she fill out a "change of name" form in British Columbia? It wouldn't take a huge leap in logic to understand that a woman with a double-barreled surname, after reviewing her birth and marriage certificates, wouldn't be the same person. As far as I know -- and I may be wrong about this -- this isn't a problem in other provinces. Perhaps the worst part about it is the woman will have her birth certificate legally changed. Why should she have to go through that? It seems odd and unnecessary.

I've never done this, so i'm just guessing. I have changed my name from my former married name back to my maiden name and it was a piece of cake. I called the people and said put my maiden name on this account etc. The only company that made me prove my maiden name was airmiles.

Here is what I think the reason is. Your maiden name is still your legal name, even if you take on a married name. It is on legal documents, certainly on your birth certificate.

If you decide to use a hypenated name, this is brand new, not on any legal document - hence the hoop jumping.

2. What is the deal with Quebec? I know it's part of Canada, but there seems to be some animosity between Quebec and the rest of the Canadian provinces. I'm not quite sure I understand the reason why or the origin of it. Could someone here help me out a little?

I'm not getting in to this

Edited January 12, 2009 by trailmix

[JillA 2]

For #2, it's too long and difficult to explain, but I would google "quebec referendum" which will give you lots of info to read about!

[Sprailenes 47]

Rita McNeil got a tattoo of Canada on her ###, and every time she bends over, Quebec separates.

[JillA 2]

Rita McNeil got a tattoo of Canada on her ###, and every time she bends over, Quebec separates.

[Emancipation 2]

2. What is the deal with Quebec? I know it's part of Canada, but there seems to be some animosity between Quebec and the rest of the Canadian provinces. I'm not quite sure I understand the reason why or the origin of it. Could someone here help me out a little?

I'll touch it!! It might be worth studying a bit of the French / English roots of our country.. read about the many times the Country switched hands.. that's the ancient root of the issue (in my humble opinion)... both the French & English wanted this nation in the beginning..

Now a days.. it's a matter of autonomy as I understand it.. Quebec is a distinct society (not to say there are not other distinct societies in Canada - NFLD case in point), but they are trying to protect culture and language etc... and they are fighting for the rights to spend their money their own way.. separating issue aside for a moment.

It just cheezes the rest of us sometimes.. but as a history teacher in high school once said.. why get mad at a unionized worker who makes more than you, if you have more education than he.. Him making more money is not the issue .. you are just making too little.. don't begrudge his wage.. go get your own amazing rate of pay!

Edited January 12, 2009 by Emancipation

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Seeing as how I am not Canadian, I have trouble understanding a couple of issues. Here they are...

1. If a woman wishes to have a double-barreled name (i.e. Smith-Jones), why must she fill out a "change of name" form in British Columbia? It wouldn't take a huge leap in logic to understand that a woman with a double-barreled surname, after reviewing her birth and marriage certificates, wouldn't be the same person. As far as I know -- and I may be wrong about this -- this isn't a problem in other provinces. Perhaps the worst part about it is the woman will have her birth certificate legally changed. Why should she have to go through that? It seems odd and unnecessary.

2. What is the deal with Quebec? I know it's part of Canada, but there seems to be some animosity between Quebec and the rest of the Canadian provinces. I'm not quite sure I understand the reason why or the origin of it. Could someone here help me out a little?

1. That's one of those province-specific rules--akin to the state-specific rules for driver's licence (term, transfer of foreign DL, ...) in US
2. That's a lot more complex to explain, but I'll try (I was naturalised to Canada in 1982, came to US on TN-1 in 1994, got GC in 1999 and naturalised to US 2005)

Basically, there was competition between European powers for New World lands (of which there was lots). France got the areas now in St. Lawrence/Great Lakes basin of Ontario and Quebec as well as a large swathe of territory extending from Minnesota to Louisiana, but the French population in that whole vast area was relatively small (by 1757, less than 100,000). British got the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Georgia, and their descendants from 1600 to 1757 increased to about 2 million.

In Seven Years War (1754-1760--European 1756-1763), France lost the huge territory (as it basically didn't have the population base to defend such a huge area, and Britain had better navy which could cut resupply--this may be the reason that both Britain and France sent their bottom-of-barrel commanders to North America during that time). Initially, Britain tried to appease the newly-gotten French-origin colonists by giving them rights to expand into Ohio Valley, while denying the same to English-origin people of 13-colonies--which seeded 1775-1783 American Revolutionary War, and a flood of Royalists (those who supported British) to Canada. Eventually, the descendants of Royalists managed to outnumber those of the French so the British monkeyed around representations till 1867 (when Canada became a separate dominion).

I'll leave it at this point as the basis (as post-1867 history is even more complex).

[unstrung 0]

+1000 words

Edited January 12, 2009 by unstrung

[sly_wolf 199]

Rita McNeil got a tattoo of Canada on her ###, and every time she bends over, Quebec separates.

Good one

I love Montreal and Quebec city is great but I will never miss Quebec politics. All I can says is, its unfortunate how politicians ruin things and I dont trust political authority .... period.

Forget the politics and just enjoy )

Sly

[SpiritAlight 1]

I was born and raised in Montreal.

Ah dear sweet loveable cry-baby Quebec.

Bahaha!

I missed it at times when I lived 13 years in B.C.

So as far as names go, since about 1980 or so, a woman getting married in Quebec does not get her husband's name.

She would have to do a legal name change in the exact same way as if she decided to change her first name.

I believe this was in response to the number if divorces, and I am only speculating.

Quebec is truly its own nation.

It does not follow the law the way the rest of the country does.

It has "common law".

I am not a lawyer however I took my slum-lord to rental board court with the Common Law Book in hand and quoted article numbers each time and won all 17 cases.

A Quebec lawyer cannot simply go to work in another province.

And vice versa.

It has incredibly strong unions.

A tradesperson cannot work without being in a union and so...this a good thing.

I love the firey union attitudes of the trades there.

Although it may never separate from Canada on paper it has been separate for a loooooooooong time.

And due to its "French face" it has kept most of what has happened to the rest of Canada out: the "Americanization". (i.e. U.S. chains, etc.)

This is also good as it still has a unique flavour all its own.

People who visit there from the U.S. remark as to how "European" Montreal is.

All this is of course my anglo way of looking at my beloved home province.

What else can I tell you...hmmmm...any more specific questions about it?

Edited January 12, 2009 by SpiritAlight

[sly_wolf 199]

I was born and raised in Montreal.

Ah dear sweet loveable cry-baby Quebec.

Bahaha!

I missed it at times when I lived 13 years in B.C.

So as far as names go, since about 1980 or so, a woman getting married in Quebec does not get her husband's name.

She would have to do a legal name change in the exact same way as if she decided to change her first name.

I believe this was in response to the number if divorces, and I am only speculating.

Quebec is truly its own nation.

It does not follow the law the way the rest of the country does.

It has "common law".

I am not a lawyer however I took my slum-lord to rental board court with the Common Law Book in hand and quoted article numbers each time and won all 17 cases.

A Quebec lawyer cannot simply go to work in another province.

And vice versa.

It has incredibly strong unions.

A tradesperson cannot work without being in a union and so...this a good thing.

I love the firey union attitudes of the trades there.

Although it may never separate from Canada on paper it has been separate for a loooooooooong time.

And due to its "French face" it has kept most of what has happened to the rest of Canada out: the "Americanization". (i.e. U.S. chains, etc.)

This is also good as it still has a unique flavour all its own.

People who visit there from the U.S. remark as to how "European" Montreal is.

All this is of course my anglo way of looking at my beloved home province.

What else can I tell you...hmmmm...any more specific questions about it?

Yes, and don't get divorced in Quebec, although I hear Ontario is not much better. That's when you really find out the truth about your human rights or lack of. A criminal has more rights in court.

Sly

[minnew 4]

I live in the prairies and I don't understand alot of the quebec vs. rest of canada anomosity....maybe I am just too young, or I pay more attention to US politics! LOL! And what is up with Quebec making snow tires mandatory?!?! I see the need for snow tires in Canada, but what I don't understand is how they are supposed to enforce that law! Shouldn't they be out catching drug dealers and murderers instead! Seriously though I tried to get snow tires and I'm lucky I did early because the rest of Canada is either short or out of snow tires! I do remember when Quebec tried to separate though, what a hoot that was!! No but seriously, the us vs. them needs to stop!

[TheATeam 0]

Well, I'm not going to touch number 2 with a ten foot pole, simply because I don't have the energy for it today!

However, I can answer your first question with respect to my experience in Alberta. I worked at a registry office in Alberta and did name changes. In Alberta if a woman wants to hyphenate her name after marriage it is as simple as changing her name altogether. We would just add it on to her driver's license, as long as her maiden name was first. The same can be said of a man. I've changed a few last names of men wanting to hyphenate so he and his wife would have the same name. I have to say, it seems odd to me that a legal name change would be required to hyphenate a last name after marriage, or in the case of Quebec like Spirit was talking about, to change the name after marriage to the husband's. The only time we ever had to do a legal name change was if the first name or middle name was changing, or the last name was changing and it had nothing to do with marriage. In that case the name on the birth certificate is then changed. The birth certificate stays the same after a marriage though. I hope that makes sense.

It seems like a lot of extra hoops to go through to me, and probably a lot more expensive! In Alberta it's like 20 bucks to change your name on your driver's license, but upwards of 200 bucks for a legal name change!

[JillA 2]

I live in the prairies and I don't understand alot of the quebec vs. rest of canada anomosity....maybe I am just too young, or I pay more attention to US politics! LOL! And what is up with Quebec making snow tires mandatory?!?! I see the need for snow tires in Canada, but what I don't understand is how they are supposed to enforce that law! Shouldn't they be out catching drug dealers and murderers instead! Seriously though I tried to get snow tires and I'm lucky I did early because the rest of Canada is either short or out of snow tires! I do remember when Quebec tried to separate though, what a hoot that was!! No but seriously, the us vs. them needs to stop!

I lived in Quebec for 15 years and completely understand the need for snow tires.... It may be hard to enforce but the new law will encourage people to get them; it really does make a difference in less accidents and better driving in the winter!

[wowswift 3]