Warmth. Understanding.
Authenticity. Integrity.

Canadian Human Rights Museum, Winnipeg, 2016

We use these words to plot our story—and help write yours.

Matthew grew up among the wheatfields of the Canadian Prairies in rural Manitoba, but he has always had an interest in the broader world. His university studies in English and French helped him turn a new page on life, inspiring him to pursue chapters of life in Quebec, Ottawa, France, and Macedonia before moving to Toronto in 2013.

Manitoba sunrise on the McDonald family farm, 2023

In 2010, while living in Macedonia, he met Igor Lazarevski. They married in 2011. They worked together at an international high school until deciding that their story needed stability: Matthew was on an employer-specific work permit in Macedonia, a country that does not recognize same-sex relationships, while Igor needed to obtain a visa even to accompany Matthew to Canada as a tourist.

Igor in Skopje’s Old Town, on a trip to Macedonia, 2019

So, they decided to hire a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) to help them navigate the process of Matthew sponsoring Igor for Canadian permanent residence. That was their first encounter with the Canadian immigration system. They were thankful to have worked with an experienced RCIC with expertise in family-class sponsorship, because he helped them understand key legal issues while providing emotional reassurance during the most challenging transition of their lives. In April 2013, they moved to Toronto.

Toronto skyline from their former apartment, 2021

Their favourite statistic about Toronto is that over half of the people who live there were not born in Canada. They lived that statistic in Toronto for 10 years.

Emerald Lake, Alberta. October 2022.

They are too curious about the world to stay in one place, however.

In late 2024, they relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they are studying Spanish and getting a first-hand refresher on migration—not just legally—but also logistically, socially, emotionally, and linguistically.

Buenos Aires, July 2024.