In Ontario, under the Ministry of Community and Social Services, there is a program called the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) that can assist in enforcing and collecting court order payments for child and spousal support payments. There are regularly used forms used by FRO to assess and enforce court orders, which include but not limited to the Financial Statement and the Statement of Arrears which must be sworn, signed and sealed before a notary public/ commissioner of oaths in Ontario. For more information and print out of these forms, please visit the hyperlinks listed.

Destination weddings/ marriage abroad/overseas are legally recognized in Canada. Getting married in foreign countries may require specific documents to be submitted or presented confirming there are no legal impediments to the marriage. At minimum the following documents and procedures must be followed depending on the laws of a particular country:

1. A certificate declaration of non-impediment for marriage abroad - a sample template can be requested from my office. The certificate declaration may need to be translated or written in both English and the Foreign language. Within this declaration, the following information must be included:

• Citizenship identification information - exp. notarized copy of passport and/or citizenship card
• If applicable, details regarding any divorce and widowhood including particular dates -  exp. notarized copy of the divorce papers or death certificate.
• Names and dates of births of the couple - exp. notarized copy of birth certificates.
• Professions of the couple
• Names and contact information of verifiers regarding the relationship, witnesses or consent from parents of the couple.
• Proposed date and location of the wedding celebration.
• If applicable, a space for witnesses and/or the officiant to sign confirming the marriage.

2. Once the certificate and the attached documents are notarized, you'll need to contact the consulate or embassy regarding whether they wanted the documents authenticated first by the Official Documents Services or by the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, or whether the respective embassy would just accept the notarized copies and bypassing the authentication process. 

3. Bring the authenticated or legalized package to your destination wedding in case you need to show to customs.

There are numerous forms of Powers of Attorneys, one of these is called the Limited/Special/Temporary/Specific Power of Attorney. This type of Power of Attorney is typically executed to appoint and grant power/authority to a relative or a representative/agent to act on your behalf while you are away or while you are in Canada and you are unable to bind the transactions or agreements yourself in your home country where properties of yours are being held or negotiated. For examples, appointing your father to sell/buy/negotiate a property in India; or give permission to your sister to register or retrieve documents from government agencies in Germany in your stead; or to confirm the authority of your sister to act on your behalf in settling your deceased father's estate in Court in China; or granting your spouse the authority to sell a car belonging to you that you left in Vietnam and to transfer title and accepting payments on your behalf. The proceeds of dispositions or benefits are to be kept in trust for your use in absolute. 

Different countries have different conventions as to how a proper Limited Power of Attorney should be drafted and executed. It is best to consult with the respective embassy or a lawyer in the foreign country for guidance. At minimum, most Limited Power of Attorney require the following procedures to give force overseas  or in another jurisdiction:

1. The grantor/executant and the agent/appointed attorney must be over 18 years old and of sound mind.
2. The grantor/executant must have his/her passport photo or a notarized copy of a valid photo identification attached to the POA on the first page or at the bottom of the last page near his/her signature. Examples, for some jurisdiction in India, a notary public must touch the photo with his/her seal and the grantor/executant must sign across the photo; for China and Vietnam, an index finger or thumb print in red ink to be placed next to the grantor's signature. 
3. The POA may need to be translated or written in both English and the foreign language.
4. The grantor/executant must appoint an agent or appointed attorney or the attorney-in-fact or authorized attorney whose fully legal name, date of birth and contact information are mentioned in the POA.
5. A very specific description or authorizing statement listing and/or limiting any powers the grantor/executant may bestow on the agent or appointed attorney or the attorney-in-fact or authorized attorney to perform on behalf of the grantor/executant and for a specified duration then the POA will become null and void.
6. Sometimes, but not always, a space for another witness, other than the lawyer/notary public, and the attached Affidavit of Execution confirming the execution.
7. Sometimes, but not always, a space for the agent or appointed attorney or the attorney-in-fact or authorized attorney to sign acknowledging acceptance of the fiduciary trust given to him/her.
8. Each page of the POA must be signed or initialed by the grantor/executant and with the lawyer/notary public's seal imprint or initial. 
9. The lawyer/notary's seal is again pressed on the last page of the POA.
10. The notarized POA along with any attached identification exhibit will now be ready for authentication and possibility legalization/apostille processes. 
11. Confirm with the embassy and the foreign lawyer for the proper procedure in respect whether or not authentication by Ontario Documents Services and the Foreign Affairs and International Trades is necessary or whether the embassy can legalize with its seal skipping the authentication process altogether. 
12. Once the Limited POA has gone through the notarization, authentication, and legalization processes, that Limited POA will then have force in the foreign country.

If you wish to obtain a FREE template of the limited POA, please email my office at [email protected].

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) allows students to borrow money through the government to fund for education in Ontario. The amount of the loan/bursary provided depends on various factors including the student's circumstances, needs, current financial assets/resources, type of program, and course load.

The OSAP application process requires submission of various forms. In circumstances where additional information may be needed to clarify an issue, then an Affidavit can be drafted, signed, sealed and notarized by a lawyer or notary public. 

The most common situations where an Affidavit may be needed include:
1. Single Parent Declaration - Never been married and taking care of a child/ children.
2. Common Law Relationship Declaration - Cohabiting in a relationship for at least 3 years or being in a relationship with a natural/adoptive child for any number of year(s).
3. Single Independent Student whose Parent has no assets/employment/ unable to provide financial means for the student. In this scenario, the parent must attest before a lawyer/notary to the fact that he/she is/was not employed and is unable to provide any financial 

The Affidavit must include some or all of the following information:

• Name, date of birth, address and contact information
• Names, date of birth of a child/children and the name of the other parent
• Approximate value of support payment or employment or other resources if any
• Parent's or spouse's profession or lack of profession/employment
• The name of the school, program name and year of study.

If you need a free sample template for your revisions, please contact my office at [email protected]. 

When you are in need of a lawyer/notary public after regular office hours or during the weekend and holiday, I can be available to notarize and commission your documents or to answer your general inquiries. Understandably, work and family obligations may not afford the time for you to attend at a lawyer's office during office hours. Often the only time you have is the evening, during the weekend or holiday. Please review my fees schedule and if you accept the fees listed, I welcome a time to meet with you upon texting 647-209-7389 or email [email protected] for an appointment.


I endorse and encourage you to visit http://www.officeholidays.com/index.php for references to world calendars, holidays, interesting facts about the holidays and celebrations celebrated locally, provincially, nationally, and around the world.