MARRIAGES IN QUEBEC

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 3

MARRIAGES IN QUEBEC

TECHNICAL INVALIDITY. A curious discovery was made recently whereby a thousand marriages in the province of Quebec during the last half-cen-tury are rendered technically _ illegal. Under the Quebec law civil marriages arc not permitted, and the solemnisation of marriages is entirely in Urn hands of tho clergy of tho different denominations, who perform marriages and keep tho records. Civil registers are provided by the Provincial Government for this purpose, and are returned to tho Government at the end of tho year, when new registers are issued. These arc the only official registers. Recent investigations showed that according to the law of 18211, which is still in effect, only clergymen who are British subjects are" entitled to keep such registers. During tho vents since the Confederation hundreds of American clergy have come to parishes in the province of Quebec, and also priests from France, whoso standing is unquestioned. They receive tho official registers, and solemnised a thousand marriages, which have now been found to ba technically illegal. Tho matter was brought to an issue when tho Provincial Attorney of Quebec refused to issue a marriage register to a Unitarian, minister at Montreal, on_ the ground that ,he is not a citizen, beinc an American. The point was brought to the attention of the Provincial Government, and it was announced that remedial legislation would be immediately enacted.