Individual rights and responsibilities

	NOTICE
	The Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, Yolande James, recently released her global plan for integrating immigrants and promoting the value of diversity, with an emphasis on the common values of Québec society. This section will be updated shortly to reflect this plan. For more information, consult the document Pour enrichir le Québec – Affirmer les valeurs communes de la société québécoise on the Plan de mesures page of the MICC’s site.

All Quebecers, either by birth or immigration, have rights and responsibilities. They all have the right to freely choose their lifestyle, values, opinions, and religion. Everyone has the responsibility to obey all the laws, even those that are incompatible with their religion or personal values. For example:

• Men and women have equal rights and responsibilities under the law, in both public and private life;
• Homosexuals also have the same rights and responsibilities as all other Québec citizens.
  
  

These fundamental values are reflected in Québec institutions.

Three types of unions

Marriage and divorce

• Marriage may unite not only a man and a woman, but also two people of the same sex.
• Polygamy and polyandry are illegal.
• Women who marry keep their maiden name.
• Only civil divorce is legal under Canadian law.
• The repudiation of one spouse by another has no legal value.
• In the event of divorce, the couple’s assets are shared equally between the two spouses.
  

Civil union

Two persons may also enter into a civil union. In Québec, civil union was designed for couples, consisting of persons of the same or opposite sex who wish to make a public commitment to live together and respect the rights and obligations entailed. It is a type of relationship that is essentially equivalent to marriage.

Common-law relationship

In Québec society, it is very common for two people to choose to live together without entering into marriage or a civil union. This type of cohabitation is known as a de facto or free union.

Protection of children

The law requires parents or guardians to provide children with the security and attention necessary for their development. The use of violence against a child, a spouse or any other person is prohibited, which makes female circumcision illegal.

Acces to information

Québec has passed an Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information. This Act allows access to documents held by the government and protects the personal information of citizens in respect of taxation, medical, education and other fields.

Useful links

• Québec interculturel
• Portail du gouvernement du Québec – Société de droit ( Québec government portal – The Rule of Law)
• Ministère de la Famille et des Aînés (Ministry of the family and senior citizens)