Lesson 1 - The Changing Family Structure
Completion requirements
Legal Studies 1030
Section 1 - the Law and relationships
Lesson 1 - The Changing Family Structure
Relationships have changed over the course of time. The traditional "nuclear family" consists of a mother, father, and their children. As relationships have evolved and changed over the years, so has the idea of "family." Family life has changed so much that it is now difficult to talk about "a typical Canadian family." In a 2007 landmark judgment in A.A. v. B.B., the Ontario Court of Appeal recognized Canada's first three-parent family. The court ruled that a five year old boy can legally have two mothers and a father when it gave legal parental status to the same-sex partner of the boy's biological mother.
This case illustrates that the law constantly changes to reflect current social circumstances and values.
Various relationships redefine today's Canadian families:
This case illustrates that the law constantly changes to reflect current social circumstances and values.
Various relationships redefine today's Canadian families:
- common law and same-sex partners;
- blended families - families with at least one stepchild;
- extended families - families with children, parents, and grandparents sharing home and finances;
- two-income families with or without children.
