Yi Fang (Annie) Zhuang

The Respondent Father brought a motion to dismiss the Applicant Mother's application for parenting, property division, and support, arguing that Ontario lacked jurisdiction and that the Shanghai People's Court was the more appropriate forum.

The parties were divorced in China, and a Final Agreement covering these issues was issued by the Shanghai People's Court.

The court granted the Father's motion, dismissing the Mother's application, finding that the parties had attorned to the Shanghai jurisdiction and that an order already covered the outstanding issues.

The court determined that Ontario did not have jurisdiction for corollary relief under the Divorce Act following a valid foreign divorce, and while it could adjudicate Family Law Act claims, these issues were already addressed in China.

The applicant father brought a motion to determine the child's school registration, proposing École élémentaire Pierre-Elliott Trudeau (PET), while the respondent mother sought registration at École élémentaire La Mosaïque (La Mosaïque).

The court also addressed preliminary evidentiary challenges and the mother's pattern of unilateral decision-making.

The court found it was in the child's best interests to attend La Mosaïque for the 2024-2025 school year, emphasizing linguistic and cultural needs, and the practical advantage of proximity to the mother's residence and work for stability.

While the mother's choice of school was upheld for the year, her unilateral conduct was criticized, and the court issued temporary orders expanding the father's parenting time and mandating joint consultation on significant issues, with the school choice for future years remaining an issue for trial.