Currently maternity leave is exchangeable by law in Canada, so it's not really a question of who takes it, but it's a question of how much you can take and wher

Currently maternity leave is exchangeable by law in Canada, so it's not really a question of who takes it, but it's a question of how much you can take and where to distribute it. IMHO the only negotiating factor on whether the mother takes maternity leave or whether the father takes it (likely after the baby is on formula) is income. If the mother makes a considerable amount more than the father, the logical step is for the father to take the maternity leave meaning the household has a greater net income when it has greater expenses. There's no sense struggling to make bill payments, and increase stress on a relationship over money issues.