MARRIAGES IN QUEBEC

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 71, 25 March 1922, Page 9

MARRIAGES IN QUEBEC

A STRANGE DISCOVERY.

A curious discovery was made recently whereby a thousand marriages in the Provine© of Quebec during the last half-cen-tury aro rendered technically illegal. Under tho Quebec law civil marriages aro not permitted, and the solemnisation of marriages is entirely in the hands of the clergy of the different denominations, who perform marriages and keep the records. Civil registers are provided by the Provincial Government for this purpose, and are returned to the Government at tho end of tho year, when new registers are issued; These are tho only official registers. Recent investigations showed 'that, according' to the law of 1829, which is still in effect, only clergymen who are British subjects aro entitled to keep such registers. During the years sine© the Confederation hundreds of American clergy have come to parishes in tho Province of Quebec, and also priests fyom France, whoso standing is unquestioned. They received tho official registers, and sol-emnieod a thousand marriages, which have now been found to be technically illegal.

Tho matter was brought to an issue when tho Provincial Attorney of Quebec refused to issue a mn-rriago register to a, Unitarian minister at Montreal, on the ground that he is not a British, citizen, being an American. Tho point was brought to the attention, of the Provincial Government, and it is announced that remedial I*gi4»tioft will bo adapted. "