They may not have eight kids, a dozen fame-seeking mistresses or millions of dollars in assets, but for hundreds of Nova Scotian couples, divorce is still a harsh reality.
Now, one organization in the province is aiming to help them navigate the often-bum-py road back to the single life by organizing Canada’s first ever “divorce fair” — being held Friday and Saturday at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax.
The fair, presented by the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia, will play host to a bevy of displays and presentations over two days — which are divided into a men’s session Friday and a women’s session Saturday. According to LIS executive director Maria Franks, participants will find everything they need to ease the pain of separation, whether it’s legal advice, grief counselling, or a one-way ticket to Bora Bora.
“We do have some travel agents,” she said. “Divorce can be stressful, so people may need to get away afterwards and re-assess their lives.”
There will also be stylists on hand for those looking to re-invent themselves physically in the wake of a messy breakup.
Similar events in Poland, France and the United Kingdom have proven extremely popular, and Franks said she’s confident the fair will be well-received by Nova Scotians.
“We know it’s relevant to people here,” she said. “Our legal information line gets around 7,000 calls a year, and about a third of those deal with family law issues.”
According to the latest numbers published by Statistics Canada in 2005, about 71,000 Canadian couples get divorced each year. That figure does not include the separations of unmarried or common-law couples.
“We’re not promoting divorce, we’re just saying this is the reality,” Franks explained. “It’s stressful and it’s sad … but once it’s over, it can be the beginning of a new and better life.”
