Information About Spunt & Carin Blog

In brief: For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Spunt & Carin team spent a day with Noreen Montour and her family, learning about the meaning of orange, the many ways people respond to intergenerational trauma and beadwork as medicine. The day ended at the McCord Stewart Museum’s ex … Read more »

Short answer: Quebec’s reform so far covers filiation (Bill 2, 2022), surrogacy (Bill 12, 2023), the parental union (Bill 56, in force June 30, 2025) and the Unified Family Tribunal (Bill 91). The rules for married couples, including the family patrimony and matrimonial regimes, have not changed. As … Read more »

Short answer: Since 2024, Quebec has a legal surrogacy process created by Bill 12. The surrogate must be at least 21, all parties must have been domiciled in Quebec for one year, attend an information session and sign a notarial agreement before the pregnancy. The surrogate confirms consent between … Read more »

Short answer: Not every refusal is alienation. Quebec courts look at the whole family history, check carefully for family violence, and often order a psychosocial evaluation. When alienation is established, remedies include family therapy, schedule changes and, in serious cases, a change of custody. … Read more »

Short answer: In Quebec, animals are sentient beings, not things (art. 898.1 C.C.Q.), but property rules still apply, so ownership is the starting point. Courts increasingly also look at the animal’s welfare: who cared for it, where it will live and its bond with each person and the children. Some d … Read more »