카지노 게임 컬렉션Two years is fast for legal reform. It카지노 게임 컬렉션s a sign that people were really ready for it,카지노 게임 컬렉션 says Kirsti Mathers McHenry, Law카지노 게임 컬렉션03, a driving force behind Ontario카지노 게임 컬렉션s new Bill 28, named the All Families Are Equal Act. 카지노 게임 컬렉션Clearly, the law had not caught up to same-sex marriage and modern families.카지노 게임 컬렉션
Now, many more parents are recognized equally in Ontario, whether they are gay or straight, and whether their children are conceived with or without reproductive assistance, says Ms. Mathers McHenry. Bill 28 was passed unanimously in December 2016.
카지노 게임 컬렉션The reform means more security for children, and it gives parents like me the recognition required to care for and protect our children,카지노 게임 컬렉션 says Ms. Mathers McHenry.
Her advocacy work for same-sex couples is one of the reasons she is receiving the Alumni Humanitarian Award from the alumni association. It is given annually to an alumnus/alumna to recognize distinguished work or volunteer service which has made a difference to the well-being of others. She will receive the honour at the Awards Gala on April 6.
This quest for legal reform was sparked by a harrowing personal experience, when her wife, Jennifer Mathers McHenry, also a lawyer, had a medical emergency while giving birth to the couple카지노 게임 컬렉션s first child.
카지노 게임 컬렉션In those moments when Jen was struggling, it wasn카지노 게임 컬렉션t clear whether she would live,카지노 게임 컬렉션 Ms. Mathers McHenry recalls. 카지노 게임 컬렉션I had waves of panic: I was scared for her, but also because I wasn카지노 게임 컬렉션t considered a legal parent. I knew I might not be able to take the baby home from hospital if need be, or make medical decisions for our daughter, which put her in possible jeopardy.카지노 게임 컬렉션 Despite a complicated labour, Ruby was born in good health and Jennifer recovered. Ms. Mathers McHenry pursued and won a legal declaration of parentage from the courts, which established that she was 카지노 게임 컬렉션 and had been 카지노 게임 컬렉션 Ruby카지노 게임 컬렉션s parent since birth.
Her extra burdens as a same-sex parent weren카지노 게임 컬렉션t over, however. In 2014, she was ready to take leave after Jennifer gave birth to the couple카지노 게임 컬렉션s second baby, Cy, but her parental declaration didn카지노 게임 컬렉션t come through in time, and she was denied benefits. 카지노 게임 컬렉션We were able to weather that financially, but for many parents, that leave income is essential to enable them to stay home to care for their child. It just isn카지노 게임 컬렉션t fair. I knew I had to stand up and do something so that other LGBTQ families did not have to face this discrimination.카지노 게임 컬렉션
Galvanized, she reached out to the office of then-Premier Kathleen Wynne, Artsci카지노 게임 컬렉션77, and her MPP, Peter Taubuns, and initiated a law reform process. She and Jennifer worked closely with family lawyer Joanna Radbord and New Democrat MPP and LGBT Critic Cheri DiNovo, who introduced a private member카지노 게임 컬렉션s bill in fall 2015. Cy and Ruby카지노 게임 컬렉션s Law was modeled on British Columbia카지노 게임 컬렉션s legislation.
카지노 게임 컬렉션Cy and Ruby카지노 게임 컬렉션s Law made it to second reading, but not beyond, so our next hurdle was to develop something that would actually be passed,카지노 게임 컬렉션 Ms. Mathers McHenry says. 카지노 게임 컬렉션In 2016 we worked with the provincial Liberals to introduce the All Families Are Equal Act, which had a lot of the same elements but was better in the end, as it was more inclusive.카지노 게임 컬렉션
Ms. Mathers McHenry, who previously worked to affect change as a staff lawyer at Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) by addressing issues such as the development of family law services, is a former member of the Law Society of Upper Canada카지노 게임 컬렉션s Equity Advisory Group. She also testified before the Standing Committee on Social Policy that considered Bill 28.
Asked about the rewards of tackling legal reform, she says one was working with an amazing team of people. 카지노 게임 컬렉션We worked with incredible people 카지노 게임 컬렉션 lawyers, community activists and other parents who wanted to help change this law. We had lots of late nights at the kitchen table and in government offices talking about strategy and different ways to improve the law.카지노 게임 컬렉션
Working with the government, she adds, resulted in a better process, which included consultations in summer 2016 to ensure that many different voices were heard and varied perspectives brought forward.
카지노 게임 컬렉션In the end, we got recognition for multi-parent families. There카지노 게임 컬렉션s a lot in this law that카지노 게임 컬렉션s great for transgender parents and genderqueer parents, and we made progress on surrogacy issues,카지노 게임 컬렉션 Ms. Mathers McHenry says. 카지노 게임 컬렉션I카지노 게임 컬렉션m most proud that we got to work on a bill that is so inclusive and helps so many people. It really feels like a leap forward, as opposed to a little step forward.카지노 게임 컬렉션
It was at Queen카지노 게임 컬렉션s Law that she learned about the substance of the law, and also its impacts. 카지노 게임 컬렉션When I think about the classes I took with Bill Flanagan and others,카지노 게임 컬렉션 she reflects, 카지노 게임 컬렉션there wasn카지노 게임 컬렉션t any question that the law was a tool that could be used to promote equality and fairness and help people with their lives. That training helped me to think critically about the law and its role in society and to develop the skills I needed to become an effective advocate 카지노 게임 컬렉션 and in this case, to get the law changed.카지노 게임 컬렉션
Fortunately for many other Ontario parents, Queen카지노 게임 컬렉션s Law inspired an advocate ready to fight for recognition and their rights.
This story originally appeared in .
