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One law student has a radical proposal for fixing marriage: Cut it off after four years
National Post ^ | August 9, 2014 | Sarah Boesveld and Tristan Hopper

Posted on 08/09/2014 6:25:03 PM PDT by Loyalist

Like many couples in their first months of courtship, Véronique Laliberté and Francys-Roch Bisson agreed to take things step by step.

For this Gatineau, Que., couple, this also meant line by line — in the form of a relationship contract. The agreement, they say, sets clear expectations around resources and fidelity, guarantees they not take their partnership for granted, and gives them an easy out should they wish to take it.

“We renewed after three months, we renewed after six months and now we have a contract for one year,” Ms. Laliberté told the National Post this week. “It’s working out pretty well — so far so good. We’re still together, we’re still in love and everything is fine.”

The early days of their relationship coincided with the start of Ms. Laliberté’s masters of law thesis at the University of Ottawa in which she has advocated a legal shakeup that would change the landscape of marriage forever in Canada: Fixed term marriage.

By her plan a fixed-term marriage would legally dissolve after four years, unless a couple visits a lawyer to renew it (a less expensive and onerous proposition than a divorce, she claims). A fixed contract might include a provision vowing not to blend finances and separate property fairly, and it would be something both parties can plan around, she said — no unexpected outbursts of ‘‘I want a divorce.’’ Think of it, Ms. Laliberté said, as a “legally governed trial period” that could lead to a lifelong contract.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: marriage
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So what will this woman do when her husband (partner? paramour?) decides to trade her in at the end of the lease for a younger, prettier model?

Because this is exactly what this is: leasing a spouse like a car. Everything else is just a related expense, like gas, insurance, maintenance and repairs.

1 posted on 08/09/2014 6:25:03 PM PDT by Loyalist
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To: Loyalist

Attacks on civilization like this are nothing new


2 posted on 08/09/2014 6:26:15 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Loyalist

Law students.

pfft!


3 posted on 08/09/2014 6:27:13 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: Loyalist

This model also raises problems after disability or dementia. An old person with dementia cannot consent to renew a marriage, so what happens to the spouse whose marriage has just expired and whose partner is no longer legally responsible or allowed to be their guardian?


4 posted on 08/09/2014 6:27:33 PM PDT by tbw2
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To: Loyalist

Why do people in college think they are the smartest people who ever lived in the last 6,000 years?


5 posted on 08/09/2014 6:29:36 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Loyalist

I support this much needed reform!
6 posted on 08/09/2014 6:30:13 PM PDT by iowamark (I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy)
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To: Loyalist

“Cut it off after four years”

That would certainly keep the man from cheating on his wife.


7 posted on 08/09/2014 6:30:23 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: Loyalist

What’s wrong with “till death do we part”?

It worked for both my grandparents, and both parents and inlaws, seem to be doing gone after 60+ years.


8 posted on 08/09/2014 6:30:55 PM PDT by amigatec (The only change you will see in the next four years will be what's in your pocket.)
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To: Loyalist

The primary purpose of real marriage is to create a stable family in which to raise children. Gay “marriage” and this sort of temporary “marriage” are temporary and superficial contracts for sex or for legal benefits, no different morally from the very short term commercial contracts reached on a street corner in the red light district.


9 posted on 08/09/2014 6:31:28 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: GeronL

Because life is all about ‘point of view’. At least that is what I think.


10 posted on 08/09/2014 6:31:42 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: Loyalist

“CUT IT OFF after four years”, Elena Bobbit gives an enthusiastic ‘thumbs up’!


11 posted on 08/09/2014 6:34:40 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: GeronL

Seriously though,

We grow up knowing we must attend school from kindergarten to Senior in High School. We have the option to continue to college.

Therefore we are raised with the concept that by SR. year or a few years into college, you must know all there is to know. Otherwise our society would require that you attend ‘school’ much longer.


12 posted on 08/09/2014 6:35:10 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: Loyalist

seems like women really believe it’s awesome for them.

i believe they will find it’s a lot worse for them.


13 posted on 08/09/2014 6:35:22 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Loyalist

sci-fi has had this in several different stories. stephen king’s the running man novella discussed that this was a common thing, with a lifelong contract being very rare.


14 posted on 08/09/2014 6:36:44 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Loyalist

On a cost VS use basis It would have been cheaper for me to hire professional services instead of giving half my net worth to one woman.

Cooking, cleaning and sex to my desires with no B.S. that I’m hindering her growth or her needing to find herself (in someone else’s bed).

If you want an old fashioned girl to marry you need a fracking time machine.

I’m ready to ex-pat this country for Ireland and find a country girl with red hair and green eyes and hire her.

I’m not bitter there must be good women out there. The last one I met in church, and was not really a good one.


15 posted on 08/09/2014 6:42:16 PM PDT by WhirlwindAttack (I do not advocate the use of violence. It works but I don't advocate it. YMMV Improvise.)
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To: UCANSEE2

lolz


16 posted on 08/09/2014 6:42:34 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Loyalist

So she read the novelization of Star Trek II, and then shaved a year off. It’s not that radical an idea, if you accept that legal marriages are basically a contract making them more “normal” contracts that cover a limited time and are renewable makes some sense. But there’s so much other baggage that goes with marriage thinking there can be a “clean” break by letting the contract expire is very naive.


17 posted on 08/09/2014 6:43:13 PM PDT by discostu (Villains always blink their eyes.)
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To: Loyalist

Yeah, we should make marriage easier, because it’s sooooo hard to work on a relationship. (Weep, weep). Why does it have to be so hard? It’s supposed to be easy if you are in love! (Sob, sob)

What a joke. It’s just getting good at four years.


18 posted on 08/09/2014 6:45:52 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: GeronL

15 min marriage in islam, aka legalized pc prostitution.


19 posted on 08/09/2014 6:48:44 PM PDT by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
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To: lavaroise

bump


20 posted on 08/09/2014 6:51:22 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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