Law Commons^™

The Legal Regulation Of Adult Personal Relationships: Evaluating Policy Objectives And Legal Options In Federal Legislation, Brenda Cossman, Bruce Ryder

Commissioned Reports, Studies and Public Policy Documents

Few would dispute that adult personal relationships characterized by caring and commitment ought to be recognized and supported by the state because of their fundamental importance to the well-being of individuals and communities. The law has long sought to identify these relationships by reference to ties of blood, marriage or adoption. Contemporary norms, however, value adult personal relationships by reference to their qualitative attributes rather than their formal legal status. This shift in normative assumptions has accompanied profound shifts in Canadians’ living arrangements over the course of the last thirty years. We have witnessed a decline in the marriage rate, …