Void marriages are those which are afflicted with a fatal flaw which nullifies the marriage no matter what the position of the spouses might be. The legal status of void marriages are as if they never occurred. Voidable marriages mean that even though there is legal flaw in the marriage, it will be recognized until and unless someone brings the flaw to the attention of a court. This would be the case, for example, where one or both of the parties were intoxicated during the ceremony to the point where their consent could not have been given. Marriages have to be consummated by sexual intercourse between the couple and are voidable if impotency is discovered.
Impotency includes an aversion to sexual intercourse.
Provincial marriage acts provide details on the legal age required for marriage. Generally, marriages of males below the age of 15 are voidable and below the age of 12 for girls. Marriages of convenience, such as for social assistance, income tax or immigration purposes, are not voidable on that grounds alone because the courts don't care about the motive for marrying. Attempts to void marriages done on a bet, on a dare, to avoid a court-martial or to get a conditional gift from a will, have all failed. Religious annulments are not recognized by civic or judicial authorities and are valid only to the extent that they may be recognized by the Church.