New Ontario law updates parentage laws to recognize same-sex parents News
New Ontario law updates parentage laws to recognize same-sex parents

[JURIST] The Ontario legislature [official website] on Tuesday passed the All Families are Equal Act [text], recognizing same-sex couples as parents when they utilize assisted reproduction. The prior parentage laws, untouched since 1978, only recognized the birth parent when assisted reproduction is utilized. The new act recognizes both members of a couple, including same-sex couples, as parents when a child is born.

The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons remains a controversial topic throughout the world. Earlier this month a UN human rights expert stated [JURIST report] that members of the LGBTI community are experiencing a “vortex of violence and discrimination” on a global level, including hate speech and rampant social media attacks. A group of UN human rights experts expressed concern [JURIST report] earlier last week over countries attempting to retroactively block a mandate of an independent expert to investigate sexual orientation and gender identity-based rights abuses. The Human Rights Council voted in July in favor of appointing [JURIST report] an independent expert to report on and investigate worldwide violence and discrimination against the LGBTI community. The resolution was approved by the member states of the Human Rights Council in June. Last Month France removed a sterilization requirement [JURIST report] for transgender individuals.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Line of Demarcation divides the New World between Spain and Portugal

On May 4, 1493, Pope Alexander VI promulgated the Line of Demarcation, dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal in response the return of Christopher Columbus from his discovery of the American continents. However, neither country was entirely satisfied with the placement of the Line. A year later on June 7, 1494, the two nations signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which moved the Line of Demarcation further west, giving Portugal claim to Brazil.

Kent State student shootings precipitated lawsuits

On May 4, 1970, National Guardsmen at Kent State University opened fire on students protesting the US invasion of Cambodia, killing four.

Review a legal chronology of the Kent State shootings, from May 5, 1970 (the day the FBI investigation started) to January 4, 1979 (the day the state of Ohio reached an out-of-court settlement for $675,000 with victims and relatives of victims).