What We Heard report released on child naming and parentage laws
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The Government of Yukon has released the Inclusive Yukon Families: What We Heard report, summarizing feedback on child naming and parentage laws. The public-engagement, which took place from February to April 2024, aimed to understand barriers, burdens and inequities within the current legislative framework and explore how the Yukon’s laws can be modernized to better reflect the diversity of Yukon families.
The report identifies key challenges in the Yukon’s current naming and parentage laws. It highlights barriers faced by Indigenous communities seeking to reclaim traditional names, 2SLGBTQIA+ families striving for legal recognition and individuals using assisted reproduction or surrogacy to grow their families.
Key findings in this report include the following.
- 44 per cent of respondents agreed that parents should be able to include letters and characters that are not part of the Roman alphabet in their child’s name.
- Many Indigenous respondents emphasized the importance of name reclamation as a step toward reconciliation and cultural preservation.
- Feedback on parentage laws indicated a need for more inclusive definitions that recognize diverse family compositions, including families formed through surrogacy, egg and sperm donation and polyamorous relationships.
- There is broad support for ensuring children’s rights and best interests remain central in determining legal parentage.
This report will inform the Government of Yukon’s next steps in potential legislative changes to the Children’s Law Act, Vital Statistics Act and Change of Name Act.
Related information:
Read the Inclusive Yukon Families: What We Heard report
Read the Children’s Law Act
Read the Vital Statistics Act
Read the Change of Name Act