Debates of June 8, 2006 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Honourable Brendan Bell, Minister of Justice. It gets back to my Member’s statement from earlier today. I know Father’s Day is about 10 days away and Mrs. Groenewegen made a very nice statement today in respect to fathers, and the observance of Father’s Day, and what a father means in a person’s life. I commend her for doing that today.

I wanted to ask the Minister if he’s aware that under the current conditions that are in place, father’s can actually be forced out of their children’s life, oftentimes because of false allegations? It seems that we have a court system that allows this to happen. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of the situation that is at play. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 87-15(5): Shared Parenting Legislation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, let me wish fathers across the Northwest Territories and in this House Happy Father’s Day. I appreciate a couple of very heart-warming statements from Members today on that. That was very nice.

Mr. Speaker, yes, obviously last resort in these very difficult situations deciding on a parenting arrangement after a marriage has broken up, the last resort should be the court system. We are very concerned about it. As the Member pointed out in his statement, when these dealings end up being overly litigious and very confrontational and long and drawn out, it is certainly in nobody’s best interest, least of all, obviously, the children involved, Mr. Speaker. So we are concerned with that.

We are doing a number of things in our programming and we get a contribution agreement from the federal government to assist and help us with some family law initiatives, but there are a number of programs we have underway. One of the interesting ones is a pilot project with a local lawyer who’s been working out of Hay River and Yellowknife, and also done a number of these by conference call and video conference, but around mediation and helping people avoid the court system in these situations. I think that is the goal and we need to do more of that. So yes, we are very much aware, Mr. Speaker, that the court system is not the best answer and the best result for dealing with these very difficult situations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 87-15(5): Shared Parenting Legislation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his response. Perhaps if the Minister, and he probably may have already had a look at the report entitled For the Sake of the Children, which was commissioned by the federal government a number of years ago, that looked into this very issue and for whatever reason this type of legislation that defaults to equal shared parenting hasn’t proceeded in Canada. I’m wondering if the Minister hasn’t discussed this issue of equal shared parenting with the new Justice Minister Vic Toews, I’m wondering if and when he may be able to have that type of discussion with the Justice Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 87-15(5): Shared Parenting Legislation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I haven’t discussed this specific issue with the Minister. I have met with him the one time in Ottawa to talk about a couple of issues and to agree that we needed to sit down and talk about a number of different things and a number of different files more comprehensively. But my officials at a senior official level are involved across the provinces and territories at a working group level. We have something called a coordinating committee of senior officials on family law, which meets frequently to discuss issues, projects, legislative changes. So I know that this is one of the issues that they have been discussing, and legislative change, legislative evolution I know happens very slowly and oftentimes much too slowly for those who are dealing with these very painful issues. I will tell the Member that it’s certainly on the national radar and continues to be discussed at a number of forums. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 87-15(5): Shared Parenting Legislation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the Justice Minister of the Northwest Territories has a perfect opportunity to become a champion and a voice for equal shared parenting. I know there’s legislation that’s in the work in countries like I mentioned, Italy, Belgium, Australia and the United Kingdom. I’d like the Justice Minister today, if he could, to make a commitment to bring the issue back to the table when he gets together with his counterparts, the other Justice Ministers from around this country, to make sure that equal shared parenting is on the agenda, front and centre, so that fathers aren’t left not being able to see their kids and spend time with their kids. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 87-15(5): Shared Parenting Legislation

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly acknowledge that children are best served by having both parents in the home, having access and contact with both parents. Ideally that’s what we strive for and our legislation should allow for that, Mr. Speaker. Certainly at my earliest opportunity, when I sit down with my colleagues from across the country, I will talk about the need for our legislation to uphold those principles. Obviously we all believe that the best needs of…the best interests of the children have to come first and children should, obviously, have as much contact with both parents as long as this is in the children’s best interest, Mr. Speaker. So those are principles that need to be upheld, first and foremost, and I will certainly raise that issue with my colleagues across the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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