Canada

Ottawa-Carleton District school board trustees hope more than 100 students, parents and staff will join them as they march in their first gay pride parade. Openly gay District school board trustee Donna Blackburn will be leading the contingent. "I just thought it was a natural extension of what the board has been doing for many years now to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth," said Blackburn. The board held its first "Pink Day" at many schools this past year, where students wore pink to back the fight against homophobia.

Mark Scott, 43, has been sentenced to four months in jail and a year's probation for violently attacking a lesbian couple [pic] at their child's school in November 2008. Scott was also ordered to undergo anger management counselling and to provide a DNA sample to a provincial databank. According to prosecutor Paul Murray, the judge presiding over the case found the attack "was not motivated by hatred arising from the victims' sexual orientation."

[via Canoe.ca]

A bitter break-up between a two Calgary dads with a small child has resulted in a challenge to the province's Family Law Act. After dating for several years, the pair contacted a woman who became a surrogate for them. For several years, the plaintiff and his boyfriend raised their daughter. Then, in '06, they had a nasty split. Several court orders favored the plaintiff's right to see the child.

The first annual event to attract all types of families was held at the Jack Purcell Community Center on Elgin Street, on February 21. Organizers attracted all types of families to the free, all-day event: traditional families, same-sex couples, singles living together, multi-generational groups. This is the first Rainbow family day since Canada declared same-sex marriage legal in 2005. The event featured a pancake breakfast, a family swim and family skate, performances, a Zumba class, a youth café and many more activities.

Trustees of the Halton Catholic District School Board repealed a ban on gay student groups which was implemented earlier this fall. A grade 11 student leader says, “We as students are asked to be chaste so sexual activity at this point, whether heterosexual or homosexual, should really be moot.” The ban had been implemented by the previous school board.

Canada - Alot going on in Canada this past week, including interesting issues being presented in the "sperm donor" case. Case in now in the hands of the judge - not sure on timeline for decision.

Alberta - definition of parenthood:

New legislation in Alberta, Canada looks to change the legal definition of parenthood. An update to the law would “make sure child support orders can be enforced in cases where children are born using assisted reproduction.”