‘Til death do us part?
The Globe and Mail reported Friday that Justice Minister Rob Nicholson blames the Liberal government for not filling a “legislative gap” that prevents same-sex couples from divorcing in Canada. The comment came after a federal lawyer told a lesbian couple, who were married here in 2005 but neither of whom is a Canadian citizen, that they couldn’t get divorced because their marriage wasn’t legally recognized in Canada. According to the lawyer, the couple’s marriage could not be dissolved because same-sex marriage is not legal in their countries of origin, therefore making their marriage invalid in Canada as well.The feds are assuring everyone same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, and that same-sex couples will soon be able to divorce here, too.
Targeting headshots
Atlantic University Sport, the governing body for university sports in the Maritimes, has introduced tougher penalties for headshots in hockey. Players who rack up three minor penalties for contact to the head will now receive a one-game suspension. Before this season, automatic suspensions were only given for hits from behind. AUS spokesman Phil Currie told the CBC he hopes the new penalties will cut down the number of serious injuries and the amount of class time missed by students recovering from the hits.
Freedom, but not that much freedom
According to a decision rendered by an Ontario court last Thursday, freedom of expression does not mean you can be naked in public. Brian Coldin, a resident of Bracebridge, Ont., launched a constitutional challenge after being charged in various incidents involving public nudity, such as going to drive-thru windows naked. Coldin said his nudity is a form of protest. The trial judge, however, saw his acts as nothing more than an affinity for being nude. Coldin may face a fine and/or probation.
Too titillating
A Vancouver woman is upset with Facebook for removing photos that show her breastfeeding her child. About 30 of Emma Kwasnica’s photos have been removed from the site because they violate its policies on obscenity, nudity and sexually explicit content. She told the Canadian Press that “There’s nothing sexually explicit in breastfeeding photos, nothing at all.” A representative for Facebook in Canada couldn’t comment on the case, but said a fully exposed breast violates the policy. Whether it’s in the mouth of a child or not apparently doesn’t matter.
