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Every year, 15 million girls around the world become child brides, losing the opportunity to gain a better education and economic empowerment. Canadians expect our laws to protect children from such nightmares, yet we became aware of thousands of reported cases of forced marriage, under-age marriage and polygamy right here at home.

That’s why we developed the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, which was passed into law in 2015 with the support of both Liberals and Conservatives. It established a minimum age for marriage across Canada — one that had previously existed only in Quebec. It made it illegal for Canadians to bring multiple spouses here. It also ensures that the defence of provocation — which is still used in Canadian courts — no longer includes factors relating to a defendant’s “honour.”

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What is a forced marriage? It’s when someone is compelled, often by family members using or threatening physical or emotional harm, to marry someone else. It often involves people who cannot legally (or morally) consent to such a union, such as the very young or the severely mentally disabled.