There are renewed calls for women to be allowed to take their husband's last name upon marriage in Quebec, with one Ontario-born newlywed challenging Premier Jean Charest to change the provincial law.

Quebec has prohibited women from taking their spouse's name since 1981, but many young women today want to have the choice to do so, family law experts say.

The Ontario-born Caroline Parent, who lives in Gatineau, is among those frustrated by the long-standing legislation. The 27-year-old lives in Quebec with her new husband Karl Lamirande, but was appalled when informed she could not take his last name.

"One day we're going to start a family and I would love to share the same name as my future children," she told CTV News.

Parent has written a letter to Charest demanding an explanation.

"I outlined the fact that I thought it wasn't fair that women in Quebec don't have a choice in the matter," she said.

When the marriage law was created, it was hailed as a triumph by feminists and equality rights activists.

"It was seen as extremely progressive at the time," said Robert Leckey, who teaches family law at McGill University.

"I don't think feminists of the day imagined that 25 years later people would be complaining that they don't have the choice to be traditional."

In other provinces, a woman can begin using her husband's name after marriage. Changing government documents is also an easy task with a provincial marriage certificate.

In Quebec, women are sometimes allowed to have their name changed, but the director of civil status must give approval. Reasons to grant the change include names that are difficult to spell or pronounce, or names that are mocked or that have been made infamous.

Young women want option

Parent is among a growing group of traditional and young women who want the choice to take their partner's name, says Maria Battaglia, an accredited family and international mediator and radio host.

"I'm very surprised that no one has raised the issue of the constitutionality of not giving a woman a right to choose whatever name they wish," she told CTV Newsnet.

"To my knowledge there was never any debate -- it was just given as a fact of Quebec life."

The civil law reform took place shortly after the creation of the Quebec Charter of Rights.

Battaglia says many women are contacting her to see how they can change their last names.

"What I tell people is on all your legal documents, use your maiden name ... but in all social settings -- your children's schools, even your credit cards, anything else you're doing -- you should be able to use your husband's name," she says.

"There is a choice in terms of what you're using socially but there are no options when it comes to legal recourse."

With a report from CTV's Genevieve Beauchemin