The Mamas and the Papas: How two Ottawa couples became co-parents

January 27, 2019 12:47 PM

Article and CBC radio piece on how two Canadian queer couples had a child together (and have another on the way.) Ontario’s All Families Are Equal law allows for up to four parents to be listed on a birth certificate.
posted by larrybob (10 comments total)

Zora and her soon-to-be-born sibling are very lucky--they have four loving parents, all committed to putting their children's well-being first. What a lovely story!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:07 PM on January 27, 2019 [3 favorites]

I saw this title and thought it was about the band and was really confused for a bit.
posted by Canageek at 1:08 PM on January 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

Don't tell the current premier of Ontario. I'm sure if he were aware of this he'd act to change the law.
posted by grouse at 1:11 PM on January 27, 2019 [2 favorites]

Back in the 90’s here in San Francisco, a met a couple of couples, where one of the guys in the male couple donated sperm to one of the women in the female couple and they had one of best kids I ever met. He was 2 and a half. The two couples shared a huge Victorian and had a fifth person who was a roommate. This lucky kid had five loving parents including the roommate. What could be better?
posted by njohnson23 at 1:42 PM on January 27, 2019 [4 favorites]

Don't tell the current premier of Ontario. I'm sure if he were aware of this he'd act to change the law.

Enough Constitutional precedent here that Dog Food for the People can't really do anything, although I suppose there is always the Notwithstanding clause, which is actually pretty frequently used by governments in Canada. In this case, however, there would be a political price to pay in the next election.

I do know that about three or four years ago BC made it possible to list three parents on a birth certificate, in recognition of the role sperm donors play in FF marriages with children.
posted by JamesBay at 2:17 PM on January 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

This was delightful to read. Thanks, OP!
posted by Bella Donna at 2:29 PM on January 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

I don’t envy their trips to the passport office ... imagine getting four people in one government office on multiple occasions spanning decades! Lovely story and family.
posted by crazycanuck at 6:49 PM on January 27, 2019

All parents have to sign the form but I’m pretty sure I got my kids’ passports just myself. Imagine 4 parents to take turns for all the appointments, that’s awesome:)
posted by warriorqueen at 7:54 PM on January 27, 2019

So much happiness in this story. I wish all of them the very best.
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 7:47 AM on January 28, 2019

This was my parents decades ago. I daydream about getting a 'corrected' birth certificate that reflects my actual family but most of them have died and I'm a full grown adult and it was in Quebec and I don't live there anymore so... I imagine it must be incredibly validating. Also practical. Feeling kind of sad and wistful and very proud of my parents for being so far ahead of their time.
posted by Salamandrous at 1:14 PM on January 31, 2019 [3 favorites]