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

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.