NDP introduces legislation to update Vital Statistics Act

HALIFAX - The NDP will introduce legislation today to update the Vital Statistics Act by removing dated, gendered references to “unwed” mothers and “illegitimate” children. These among many other changes are designed to update the legislation and better reflect modern family structures in Nova Scotia.

“This act is terribly out-of-date. The language is a holdover from the Victorian age and needs to change,” said Susan Leblanc, NDP Spokesperson for LGBTQ+ Affairs. “The updates we’re suggesting would make sure that the Vital Statistics Act doesn’t exclude people because of their gender expression or family make-up.”

The Vital Statistics Act continues to use references to mother and father which fails to reflect the reality of many families in Nova Scotia. The NDP’s legislation would replace these references with the word parent. This would be similar to changes made in Ontario last year.

Matthew Guy and Adrian de Montfort-Guy live in Truro and have been a couple for 27 years, married for 13 years. They have two children.

“There are many forms that come to our house - from government, from the schools, in health care - that only have space to list our childrens’ ‘mother’ and ‘father’,” said Matthew Guy. “Our children have two fathers. This legislation would be a good first step, and the government should be setting an example for other public and private bodies to follow.”

The NDP will also reintroduce legislation to provide gender-neutral options for government identification like driver’s licenses and health cards.

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