This Quebec Throuple Wants To Legally Be Recognized As Parents To Their Daughter

Three Montreal men adopted a toddler last month, but Quebec law prevents all of them from being her legal parents…

For Quebec throuple Eric LeBlanc, Jonathan Bedard and Justin Maheu, the dream of becoming parents took years. Between the lengthy adoption process, rejection and finding an adoption agency accepting of their throuple, they were eventually matched with a child via Quebec Youth Protection Services. After fostering the girl for two years, the throuple officially adopted her in September. Now they have another obstacle. The fight to all be recognized as her legal parents.

Why are the men not all recognized as her parents?

The province of Quebec only legally recognizes two parents, but across Canada the law varies. Other jurisdictions – Ontario, Saskatchewan and B.C. – allow two or more people to legally be considered parents to a child. 

In April, a Quebec Superior Court judge ruled the civil code was outdated for only recognizing two parents. The judge cited it as ‘unconstitutional,’ going against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom as it discriminates against ‘different family models.’ The Quebec government was given a year to make amendments and officially recognize multi-parent families.

The gay Montreal throuple were not part of the case, but three other families representing different genders, sexualities and situations were. One was a throuple involving a man and two women. The other was a lesbian couple and their male donor. The third was a married couple and their close friend who carried the child.

While the ruling gave hope to multi-parent families, it didn’t last long. The Quebec government is currently in the process of appealing the decision.

What is next for the Montreal men?

Speaking to CTV News, the throuple are saddened that the government is appealing the ruling. They believe the case will eventually go to Canada’s highest courts. “We think that either way it might go all the way to the Supreme Court,” LeBlanc said.

In the interview the trio acknowledged they are different as a three-parent unit. However, they said that beyond that they share similar qualities as other families. Currently, the three are equally raising their daughter together and doing whatever they can to create a stable home.