Saw our news headlines saying, "Married people are in the minority in Canada for the first time, according to census information released Wednesday by Statistics Canada".

"The data shows 51.5 per cent of people over age 15 were unmarried in 2006, marking the first time married people have been outnumbered in the census, which began nationally in 1871.

The details on marital status were part of a package of census data released about Canada's families, living arrangements and households. Statistics Canada calls this information its "family portrait" of Canadians.

Census highlights include:

- For the first time, there were more families without children (42.7 per cent) than with children (41.4 per cent).

- The number of common-law families surged 18.9 per cent since 2001, to nearly 1.4 million families.

- Common-law families now make up 15.5 per cent of families, while 20 years ago, they only represented 7.2 per cent.

- Twenty-six per cent of families with children are headed by a single parent.

- Of the 1.4 million single-parent families, about 20 per cent are headed by men. The number of men at the head of single-parent families is growing more than twice as fast as the number of women.

Statistics Canada uses the term "families" to define a variety of households - couples (married or common law) who don't have children, couples who have children and an adult with at least one child"

Source: (CBC) Canada Wednesday, September 12, 2007 http://www.mytelus.com/ncp_news/article.en...ticleID=2752267

Apparently all this is partially due to the growing number of common-law relationships. At the rate the divorce rate is booming and the way many marital laws are now, it's hardly a wonder why so many choose not to marry - especially if they don't plan to have any children.

Someone wiser than me once said that our society is a disposible one - we toss cans and bottles and marriages with nearly the same regularity.

Good post Mara! Tho' I find the number 15 and above a low starting point.
This one particularly bothers me. Along with the truly disposable society we appear to embrace.

Mothers willing to leave their families ( I'm sure some are different) but I see a lot more woman walking away from their children. It's an unnerving feeling. I feel it a combo of selfishness, moral breakdown. Children not being shown / taught how to cope and endure. No longer being shown the value of a family and decades of growing up in broken homes. Whatever , who cares, me me me. It's socially degrading.

To be honest, boopme, I'm constantly stunned at how odd our society seems to be. I always been perplexed that fathers can walk away from their children and now that apparently mothers are doing it as well, I'm more confused and saddened than ever.

I understand why marriages often don't work out (saddened but understand) but constantly wonder why it is that so many seem to spend more time planning and discussing the purchase of a new car or home than deciding why they wish to have a child (or why they truly want to be married, for that matter).

Willing to give up lunch at work every day and substitute a packed lunch? Willing to give up the endless 'toys' that often make us feel we are a success in life? Willing to rarely get enough sleep and willing to overcome one's urge to have a 'puke fest' everytime one of the children throws up - usually all over us moments after crawling into bed to tell us they don't feel well? Willing to put the needs of our children first, whether financial, educational or emotional needs? And on and on it goes.

And come to think about it - there's not that much difference in some areas between having children and the decision to get married. Truly 'married', not just on a legal piece of paper. Takes masses of work and ongoing gentle kindness. I wouldn't trade a minute of it - but neither would I have wanted our girls to begin any stages of their lives without knowing that along with the beautiful white wedding gown and/or giving birth to that precious bundle of joy, goes responsiblity for the rest of your life - literally!

funny thing: I was just about to post why me and Steph weren't getting married for the time being. Heres why:

i come from a "broken" home. The divorce really drove a wedge in my family. Me and my sister fell on opposite sides and to this day have trouble speaking with each other or the opposing parent (me and Mom barely got along before). the last thing I want is for my kids to have to put up with the years of drawn out sh!% that we did over arguing who's is who's. Also everything my Dad went through during that time is something I know I dont want for myself. I'd prefer to be able to pack my bags and go stopping only to sign the child support papers (if we had children). Less harm done that way no years of anger, bitter fighting, and resentment to burden ourselves with.

I'll probably never get married or at least wait a few more years to do so.

As for her she wants to but has accepted the fact that the subject is off limits until I buy the ring and ask.

I can understand the point of view. It's what I was sort of saying. The years of the climbing divorce rate. To a point where it almost a normal or natural thing. All that the kids go through during it. From the parents bickering to the hardships created. No wonder they don't want to commit. But I can only stress and hope that these kids will understand more fully the committment to children. If you've no kids and want to walk well OK. But if ypu have them ,you really have to become so unselfish.
That said society isn't helping encourage the family. One can fall out of love, one can feel left alone etc.. True love is something that requires work,conversation, committment, self denial, consideration, caring and more. It has to be tended to to work ,like a garden or a car. And that's just for the two adults, double up for each kid.
It's always easy to quit and give up. Ok I'll get off the soap box.

Egad, BlackSyder. What a truly dreadful event in your family and to have it affect both you and your sister especially! Gentle hug!

But believe it or not, not all children are subjected to this type of thing when parents seperate and/or divorce, thank dod. I believe with every single fibre of my being that for either parent to involve the children in the break-up and not continue to support and encourage the existing love between the kids and both parents is disgraceful and truly the height of selfishness.

Please do forgive me as I'm not speaking of your mom directly but if a parent who fails to care about the children and their feelings and security more than his or herself - well, that could be one of the signs of why the marriage dissolved in the first place, I've always thought.

Try ever so hard to not deny yourself a lasting commitment based on the dreadful experiences of your childhood, kind man - gentle hug.

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boopme ... You weren't on a 'soap box' - gentle grin! Rather, simply saying what is sadly the truth about much of our society.

I don't think Marriage has ever been in Vogue. Society now accepts Divorce as a normal part of todays lifestyle.Where as it used to be frowned upon,and if you were a divorcee,you were looked down on.Marriage is a necessary ingrediant to try and keep the Family unit together.
Humans are not like Swans who mate for life,and will never have anything to do with another Swan,even if their partner dies.We are hard wired different,and very few of us are naturally monogamous.In fact I think the greater part of the Human race are Polyamorous.
The marriage partners who practice Monogamy,and switch off to all other attention of the opposite gender,will succeed and have a happy marriage in my view.Both partners naturally must practice momogamy for it to work.Marriage requires a 100% effort 100% of the time,by both spouses to be a lasting success.
Society has made it too easy to get married,and not near enough Education as to what you face in a marriage,including Children etc.
Who in their right mind with only a very short courtship,can honestly swear to devote, say the next 60 yrs or so,to that one spouse,when in reality they dont realy know them well enough to sign a marriage certificate.There should be a much longer time spent with each other,before committing,and I think we would have less marriage breakups.Education is the key.IMHO.