Hyphenated names refused for BC Government Services card

[Omnitheo]

http://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4304095

Therriault-Finke, 45, of Rossland, B.C., went to renew her driver's licence and was told her name was no longer considered valid.

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Her hyphenated name has been her surname since she got married almost two decades ago in Ontario.

The majority of provincial and federal government agencies in Canada will accept a marriage certificate as proof of your name.

The Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC) stopped doing that in April 2016.

Therriault-Finke was given three choices. "I could go back to my maiden name. I could take my husband's name or I could go through the process of getting a legal name change."

Not the only one

Across the province, people with hyphenated surnames are running into the same problem, due to glitches associated with the province's identity card, which rolled out four years ago.

"I said that is absolutely ridiculous," said Cher King-Scobie of Chilliwack, B.C., in response to being told her last name was not legal in B.C.

King-Scobie, 42, began using a hyphenated name when she got married in 2002, in Saskatchewan.

"In Saskatchewan, you just had to bring your marriage certificate and then all of your documents were changed," said King-Scobie

Surely someone at ICBC or in the government has a hyphenated name that mentioned something about this years ago before it went live right?

I get that they can use two cards instead like we used to have, but if you’re gonna come up with a new system it has to work for everyone. To tell people that their name isn’t legal or valid, and that they have to pick and choose? That’s ridiculous.

I hope one of these people begrudgingly went to pay for their card, grabbed a 50 to hang over and then said “oh wait, is that William Lyon Mackenzie? Or William Lyon King? Guess this bill isn’t government valid or legal” before walking out.

[rustled]

Sounds like one of those antiquated laws from that old tv show, "This is the Law".

B.C.'s Name Act requires hyphenated surnames adopted after marriage to go through a legal name change. The act falls under the purview of the Ministry of Health.

According to Health Minister Adrian Dix, the law dates back to the 1940s. "It may be that our Name Act is out of step with modern realities," said Dix.

He said there is no immediate plan to change the legislation.

Wonder if they'll consider changing it? I also wonder why one of the women quoted thinks she also has to change her name on her birth certificate?

[maryjane48]

she can take her husbands name . icbc stopped accepting the marriage paper as valid id in 2016 under bclibs . she had a year to fix it or complain but chooses now to ? more political bs if you ask me

[Cactusflower]

Will Roderick Haig-Brown (or his descendants) have to change his name too?

[rustled]

Not as I understand it, because it's already his legal name.

As I read it, they're not saying you can't have a hyphenated surname. They're saying it has to be your legal name, and under our current archaic BC law you can't automatically hyphenate on marriage. One would think it's an easy enough law to change, but perhaps it's not so simple as one would think.

[Carrs Landing Viking]

I believe this is targeted at women who have chosen to use both maiden and married names in their identification.
Basically the name on their previous care card and their driver's license do not match.

I don't believe it targets people born with hyphenated names. I have one in my family who had no issue less than a year ago.

[Omnitheo]

Appears these women came from SK where providing a marriage certificate is enough. I’m BC it requires going through an additional name change process.

I wonder though can’t exceptions be made? For instance drivers licensing in other provinces doesn’t always equate to the same as BC’s learners/new program, and often people coming from another province obtain a full licence without having to go through the BC system. Could you imagine if ICBC told them that their licence wasn’t valid under our system here and that they had to spend a few years with an L or N first?

[rustled]

Appears these women came from SK where providing a marriage certificate is enough. I’m BC it requires going through an additional name change process.

I wonder though can’t exceptions be made? For instance drivers licensing in other provinces doesn’t always equate to the same as BC’s learners/new program, and often people coming from another province obtain a full licence without having to go through the BC system. Could you imagine if ICBC told them that their licence wasn’t valid under our system here and that they had to spend a few years with an L or N first?

Wouldn't it be easier just to change the law regarding legal names, so women could hyphenate upon marriage without going through another process? That way, the drivers' licence would have your legal name, as would every other legal document in BC.

[Veovis]

I don't understand the purpose altogether but same as anyone wanting to change their name make it consistent. I think you either change name or don't, but everyone is different some like to hyphenate it, but where does the line get drawn for ID. If you have 2 people with hyphenated names that hyphenate the hyphenated name you will never get that on a form or ID to fit.

Then what? Pick a new name?

It's all silly but somewhere, someone decided there had to be a line.

[Hurtlander]

Last evening on the 6:00 news, the lady from Saskatchewan said her hyphenated last name is even on her passport....evidently her hyphenated last name is legal and recognized everywhere on the planet except by some British Columbian bureaucrats.

[Bsuds]

It's all silly but somewhere, someone decided there had to be a line.

There is a line between the last 2 names!