Section 18 — Divorce Act: Definitions

The following definitions apply in this section and in sections 18.1 to 19.1. competent authority means a court that has the authority to make an order or another entity that has the authority to make a decision with respect to support under this Act. ( autorité compétente ) designated authority means a person or entity that is designated by a province to exercise the powers or perform the duties and functions set out in sections 18.1 to 19.1 within the province. ( autorité désignée ) designated jurisdiction means a jurisdiction outside Canada — whether a country or a political subdivision of a country — that is designated under an Act that relates to the reciprocal enforcement of orders relating to support, of the province in which either of the former spouses resides. ( État désigné ) responsible authority means a person or entity that, in a designated jurisdiction, performs functions that are similar to those performed by the designated authority under subsection 19(4). ( autorité responsable )