There are several battles with getting reform to the divorce acts.
1) The general public does not care since they do not care about divorce until it happens to them... and then it is too late. So general pubic apathy.
2) A complete misunderstanding of the divorce act and family law act by the general public. Which again leads to apathy. For example, many people I have talked to have stated:
- 50-50 access is default
- joint custody is default
- spousal supports automatically stops when the recipient remarries
- no child support when 50-50
- child support stops at 18
- child support automatically stops when you are laid off
- child support is automatically reduced when pay or income is reduced
- children are the number one concern
- child support is for children (i.e. paid to them, or is accountable, etc., etc)
- tax laws are equal to both parents
- and on and on...
3) Strong lobbying by anti-reform groups.
4) No political will based on 1, 2 and 3.
5) Any mention of reform is met with "How can you destroy, harm, endanger, abuse, impoverish, (insert favourite hysterical adjective here) these children!!!" or various other versions. This is based partially on 1 and 2 (i.e. the current laws are fine). And of course, no one wants to destroy, harm, endanger, abuse, impoverish, (insert favourite hysterical adjective here) any child, therefore reform means evil.
6) Any reform is always viewed as a way for the paying parents (i.e. Dads) to reduce their obligations. Again, how can ANYONE destroy, harm, endanger, abuse, impoverish, (insert favourite hysterical adjective here) these children... you deadbeat!!
The way for political change in Canada is to educate so that 1 and 2 are gone. With 1 and 2 gone, 3 is easier to fight and 4 can happen. The rest is just noise.
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