How about that Canada/Portugal rugby today?

So who among you were at Estádio Universitário this afternoon to see our Portugal national rugby team take on our Canadian national rugby team? If you were there, I'm sure you'll agree: a fantastic, fast-paced first half, and a slow second half with a lot of stops. The end result: Canada 23 - Portugal 20. (in the pictures, Canada in black, Portugal in red)

After the first 20 minutes it looked like Canada was going to walk all over Portugal, taking a quick 12-0 lead and pretty much dominating ever aspect of the game. Then, all of then sudden, Portugal turns it around and goes up 14-12. Canada got 3 back and at the half the result was 15-14 in favour of the Canucks.

The second half see-sawed back and forth: Portugal went up 17-15, Canada pulled it back 20-17, Portugal tied it at 20, and then with 5 minutes left the teams exchanged penalty kick attempts. Portugal missed, Canada didn't. And that's how it ended.

This was the last of a 4 game European Fall tour for team Canada ending with a 3-1 record, the only lost coming to Georgia, the wins coming against Belgium, Spain and of course, Portugal. At the same time, this was also the third and final game of the Super Bock Rugby Cup, held the last 3 weekends, that saw Portugal come out with a 1-2 record - a loss against the United States, a win against Namibia and of course, today's loss against Canada.

Anyway, it was good fun and tomorrow another Canadian tradition continues - live from Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium, the 98th Grey Cup pits the Alouetes de Montreal against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. I gotta go with the underdogs - go Riders!

Getting divorced in Portugal

Time for another free lesson* in Portuguese law! This round is on the hallowed institution of divorce, regulated by Articles 1773 to 1793 of the Portuguese Civil Code. Divorce is quite popular in Portugal. In 2009 alone there were 72 divorces a day, with 26,464 divorces against 40,391 marriages.

Can't say it's not original..

*Obligatory Disclaimer: This information contained in this post is provided "as is" and does not constitute legal advice. I make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in this post, and in no event shall I be liable for lost profits, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of or in connection with any information stated in this post.

Please note that in this post I will only cover amicable divorce, or divorce by mutual consent. Litigious divorce, or divorce without mutual consent, is much more complex, and much messier. Therefore, this is for the case where the spouses have decided that married life is not for them, and they both can agree on everything.

Not all divorces have to be like this.

A few conditions for the below to be applicable: no minors and the spouses can agree on all terms of the divorce.

First, an application is made in the name of both spouses to the civil registry of their area, or a civil registry expressly designated by them, clearly stating all relevant personal details. In a divorce by mutual consent, the spouses do not have to give the reason for their application, just that both are legally capable of applying for a divorce and that all relevant documentation is attached. The application is signed either by the spouses or by their representative.

The application is lodged with a certificate containing a full copy of the marriage record (including any prenuptial agreement, if one exists), a detailed list of the communal property, including their respective values, and an agreement on the disposal of the marital home. The divorce application has an associated fee of €250.00

In Portugal a standardized application does not exist for divorces.

After the application and attached documents are lodged, the registrar will schedule a meeting with the spouses in order to bring about reconciliation.

If the spouses still intend to divorce, and having checked that the prerequisites are met, the divorce is decreed and registered. The spouses do not have to show up for this as long as they issue power of attorney to their representative. However, the power of attorney has to be signed before a notary public.

Fifteen days after this date the divorce is considered final, and all personal documents can be updated to reflect the new civil status.

Contrary to popular belief, this is a legal impossibility in Portugal.

The whole process normally takes two months from start to finish, depending on the schedule of the registrar. From a bureaucratic point of view, the divorce process is one of the quicker processes in Portugal.

For the lighter side of divorce, feel free to visit this site for some divorce cakes, and this site on how to pick the right divorce cake for you.

Hey PM Stephen Harper was in town!

Did anybody see Canada's number 1 here in Lisbon the last couple of days? As you probably know it was this little meeting that brought him to town; this small gathering they call the NATO Summit. Besides closing down particular parts of the city and getting people to gather to manifest against the Summit, it's almost like it went unnoticed.

Now concerning the Canadian PM, he was kept indoors the majority of the time spent here, mainly down at the Feira Industrial de Lisboa (FIL) negotiating world affairs with the other world leaders. Besides the time spent at the FIL (on the 18th and 19th), we also know that he meet with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen the morning of the 18th to discuss Canada's role in Afghanistan and the pulling out of Canadian combat troops by the Summer of 2011, and the intent of only leaving Canadian military trainers to train Afghan security forces in Afghanistan.

For those of you who certainly didn't miss Barack Obama on every television and newspaper, but did not manage to catch a glimps of the Canadian PM, here are some photos:

We certainly enjoyed his visit, but lets hope that the next time he visits (along with his world leader friends) it will be for reasons other than those that also attract these folks:

Remember… Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, is in one weeks time. On the 11th month, of the 11th day, at the 11th hour, two minutes silence should be respected in remembrance of all those that have fallen in battle.

Canada, as part of the Dominion of the British Empire, was called upon to fight on its behalf when World War I broke out. The horrifying trench warfare of the First World War resulted in 67,000 killed and 173,000 wounded for Canadian forces. However battles such as Vimy Ridge, Second Battle of Passchendaele and the Battle of the Somme are still remembered today as part of Canada's founding myth, to both its identity and culture.

The Vimy Ridge Memorial

Portugal also fought on the “winning” side in World War I, having officially declared war on Germany on 9th March, 1916. In 1917 the first Portuguese troops were sent to the West Front, as part of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps, and were involved in the fighting Flanders and then France. The 2nd Division of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps was practically wiped out on the 8th and 9th of April, 1918, as the result of a massed German artillery attack and infantry offensive.

World War I Memorial in Coimbra, Portugal

Portugal lost almost 10,000 soldiers in the war, having mobilized almost 200,000 men. The economic and social costs of the involvement in World War I are said to have led to the fall of the democratic government and subsequent rise of Salazar’s dictatorship.

Unfortunately Remembrance Day is not commemorated in Portugal as it is in Canada, and I doubt anyone would recognize the reason behind having a poppy on your lapel.

However, if you have the time, I recommend reading “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque. It captures the futility of war quite poignantly. Or if you don’t have the time, at least read “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, and reflect on the sacrifice made by others, so long ago.

Canada vs Portugal - Rugby! (and social networks)

I’ve recently heard of a new site called “Facebook”. A bit of a crazy name, but what can you do? Anyways, supposedly this site is the next big thing. Therefore, in an effort to show my “techno-hipness”, I’ve created a Facebook page for Canadians in Portugal. You can see the fancy widget thingie to the left.

An example of a "Facebook" profile

What does this have to do with Rugby, you may as?

The Canadian National Men’s Rugby team is coming to Portugal on the 27th November (Saturday) to play against the Portuguese National Rugby team at the Estádio Universitário in Lisbon, at 15h00!

João thought that we should take advantage of these new techno-fads in order to pass the message on. So that's what we've done, and the upcoming rugby match was the first post! Feel free to show up and support your country(ies)!

Here’s the Portuguese Rugby Federation website: http://www.rugbyportugal.com/
And the Canadian Rugby Federation website: http://www.rugbycanada.ca/

This event is supported by the Canadian Embassy in Portugal, so a round of applause for them as well! And hope to see you there!