Support for Bill M483 Equal Parenting Rights

[350_dad]

Bill M483 needs 20 MPS to support it. They currently have 10. Please forward to your local MP. I sent an email to mine and he quickly emailed me back saying he would support this bill. It was that easy.

The motion states,

"That, in the opinion of the House, the government should propose amendments to the Divorce Act so that law and practice ensure due process protection of rights and equality of parents, and to ensure that children benefit from equal parenting from both their mother and their father, after separation or divorce.”



It’s a statement of principle rather than a piece of legislation. It kind of establishes a minimum threshold to help determine which MPs are even prepared to support the statement of principle.

Please post a reply if you ahve forwarded to your MP. I think we need a voice in Ottawa. The MP brining forth this motion is: Vellacott, Maurice

[got2bkid]

i will send it to my MP. How do I get a copy of it?

[logicalvelocity]

I sent an email to my local MP offering my support for this motion.

I came across the site with some information in regards to the motion

http://www.familyaction.org/Articles...slation-08.htm

Motion M483 by Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott.

Equal parenting is good for children and society. Divorce harms two parenting families. Divorce law and courts have compounded this harm, even unfairly preventing involvement of both parents in some cases.

See a motion to have this changed in the word attachment "Equal parenting".

Email Vellacott.M@parl.gc.ca to voice your support.

Perhaps this member of parliament could also point us in the right direction for literature detailing the specifics of his motion.




lv

[logicalvelocity]

Some more information:

http://www.mauricevellacott.ca/maurice.html

-and-

http://www.mauricevellacott.ca/2003%...r%20debate.pdf



lv

[logicalvelocity]

Northwest Territories passes motion in support of equal parenting and Vellacott’s Motion M-483


For Immediate Release June 27, 2008


OTTAWA – The Northwest Territories has demonstrated its pioneering spirit by paving the way for equal parenting in Canada. Guided by the leadership of Kam Lake MLA David Ramsay, the Legislature of the Northwest Territories, on June 19, passed a motion to affirm the importance of "equal parenting" as in the best interests of children even in cases of marriage breakup and family dissolution. This guiding principle of course recognizes exceptions in cases of proven child abuse or neglect. In speaking to his motion, Ramsay said, "I believe strongly that both parents should be involved in the upbringing of a child. If you look around the world, the movement is going to a default system of equal, shared parenting so that both parents in separation and divorce have equal access to children."

The motion passed unanimously with a vote of 11 to zero, with seven abstentions. The Cabinet abstained, but Ramsay, noting that they did not vote against the motion, is confident that, with further study, they will come down strongly in favour of equal shared parenting.

Ramsay's motion was introduced as an expression of support for an equal parenting motion introduced in the Parliament of Canada by Saskatoon-Wanuskewin MP Maurice Vellacott. Vellacott tabled Private Member's Motion M-483 earlier this year and it is scheduled for its first hour of debate this fall. Ramsay said, "I’m waiting anxiously for this vote to take place and debate to take place in the House of Commons in Ottawa this fall. I would look to Members of this House to lend our support to the government in Ottawa to open up the federal Divorce Act and make amendments to it so that we do have a default to equal, shared parenting in this country, and we get with the program of respecting the rights of everybody." Ramsay added: "Mr. Maurice Vellacott, MP from Saskatoon–Wanuskewin, is the MP in Ottawa that is spearheading an effort to open up the federal Divorce Act so that we can see a move towards equal and shared parenting."

In this fall's debate, Vellacott is looking forward to making the case for the importance of both fathers and mothers taking an active role in the lives of their children, regardless of the nature of the relationship between the parents themselves. "The social science is air-tight on the importance of fathers and mothers if children are to be prepared in their early years for the best outcomes in the whole range of life experience as they grow older," Vellacott said. "I want to thank the MPs from different parties who have publicly expressed their support for this motion by putting down their names as Seconders of the initiative," he added.

M-483 reads: "That, in the opinion of the House, the government should propose amendments to the Divorce Act so that law and practice ensure due process protection of rights and equality of parents, and to ensure that children benefit from equal parenting from both their mother and their father, after separation or divorce."

The motion passed in the Northwest Territories' Legislature reads as follows:
"WHEREAS it is in the best interest of the child to have, wherever possible, both parents involved in the parenting of said child;

"AND WHEREAS the current adversarial process pitting parent against parent with the child in the middle is promoted in legislation like the federal Divorce Act;

"AND WHEREAS it would be desirous for the federal government to propose amendments to the federal Divorce Act so that in law and in practice the rights of both parents to due process are observed in all proceedings and that children benefit from equal parenting from their mothers and their fathers after separation or divorce;

"NOW THEREFORE I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Assembly signify their support for amendments to the federal Divorce Act to protect the rights of both parents to be involved in parenting the children;

"AND FURTHER that the content and result of these proceedings be forwarded to the federal Minister of Justice and the Member of Parliament for Western Arctic for their consideration."

"I want to thank Northwest Territories MLA David Ramsay for his leadership on this issue of equal parenting," said Vellacott. "Support for equal parenting is a vote for children, a vote for the equally necessary role of moms and dads, and a vote for the principle of equality," Vellacott added.

- 30 -

For more information,

contact Maurice Vellacott at (613) 992-1966, (613) 297-2249 or Vellacott.M@parl.gc.ca

and

contact David Ramsay at (867) 669-2296 or
at david_ramsay@gov.nt.ca.

[got2bkid]

It's one step in the right direction!

[logicalvelocity]

Seconding M-483 Update 3 more MP's required to come on board - Contact your local MP folks before this wasted effort goes by the wayside - We're so close now!


See the recent update and list of Mp's that have already come aboard. I noticed very few MP's are from Ontario!

Greetings,

Some of you have contacted us to let us know that your MP intends to send in the necessary letter to the Journals Branch of the House of Commons to indicate their desire to be identified as a Seconder of Mauriced Vellacott’s equal parenting motion, M-483. When the House rose for the summer, there were 17 MPs in the list. They will list a total of 20 MPs which means that we would like to see 3 more MPs on that list. A new public list – the Order Paper – will not be printed until the next day the House meets, which is scheduled for September, but I called the House officials to see if they had received any more letters from MPs wanting to have their names added. I was told that they have received no such letters, so we are still looking for those last 3 MP names. If your MP has indicated that they would Second the Motion, but their name is not in the list below, please contact them again and remind them of their commitment to do so.

Thank you,

Tim Bloedow

Legislative Assistant, Maurice Vellacott, MP
No. 19 No 19

M-483 — April 11, 2008 — Mr. Vellacott (Saskatoon—Wanuskewin) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should propose amendments to the Divorce Act so that law and practice ensure due process protection of rights and equality of parents, and to ensure that children benefit from equal parenting from both their mother and their father, after separation or divorce.

M-483 — 11 avril 2008 — M. Vellacott (Saskatoon—Wanuskewin) — Que, de l'avis de la Chambre, le gouvernement devrait modifier la Loi sur le divorce pour que le droit et l’usage assurent la protection des droits et de l’égalité des parents par l’application régulière de la loi et pour que les enfants jouissent de l’égalité des responsabilités de la mère et du père après une séparation ou un divorce.

Pursuant to Standing Order 86(3), jointly seconded by: Conformément à l'article 86(3) du Règlement, appuyé conjointement par :

Mrs. Skelton (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar) — May 8, 2008 Mme Skelton (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar) — 8 mai 2008

Mr. Wappel (Scarborough Southwest) — May 9, 2008 M. Wappel (Scarborough-Sud-Ouest) — 9 mai 2008

Mr. Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright) and Mr. Hiebert (South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale) — May 14, 2008 M. Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright) et M. Hiebert (Surrey-Sud—White Rock—Cloverdale) — 14 mai 2008

Mr. Hanger (Calgary Northeast) — May 15, 2008 M. Hanger (Calgary-Nord-Est) — 15 mai 2008

Mr. Cummins (Delta—Richmond East) — May 20, 2008 M. Cummins (Delta—Richmond-Est) — 20 mai 2008

Mr. Brown (Barrie) — May 21, 2008 M. Brown (Barrie) — 21 mai 2008

Mr. Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville) — May 28, 2008 M. Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville) — 28 mai 2008

Mr. Van Kesteren (Chatham-Kent—Essex) — June 4, 2008 M. Van Kesteren (Chatham-Kent—Essex) — 4 juin 2008

Mrs. Hinton (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo)— June 5, 2008 Mme Hinton (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo) — 5 juin 2008

Mr. Albrecht (Kitchener—Conestoga) — June 9, 2008 M. Albrecht (Kitchener—Conestoga) — 9 juin 2008

Ms. Folco (Laval—Les Îles) — June 10, 2008 Mme Folco (Laval—Les Îles) — 10 juin 2008

Mr. Anderson (Cypress Hills—Grasslands) — June 11, 2008 M. Anderson (Cypress Hills—Grasslands) — 11 juin 2008

Mr. Goldring (Edmonton East) and Mr. Shipley (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex) — June 13, 2008 M. Goldring (Edmonton-Est) et M. Shipley (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex) — 13 juin 2008

Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South) — June 18, 2008 M. Szabo (Mississauga-Sud) — 18 juin 2008

Mr. Harvey (Louis-Hébert) — June 19, 2008 M. Harvey (Louis-Hébert) — 19 juin 2008

Motion may not be moved, pursuant to Standing Order 91.1(1). Motion ne peut être proposée, conformément à l’article 91.1(1) du Règlement.

lv

[FL_Needs_To_Change]

This is indeed a step in the right direction, one I too support. But I have to wonder how does this help those families that have already been destroyed by the flawed system?

This law will help those who have yet to tread the slippery slopes of the Family Law system, and for those newly within its ugly grasp.

How about those families that have been torn apart, that do not have shared parenting or any parenting for that matter because one party was successful in using this wonderful law to alienate the other parent?

It’s good to know change is coming; it’s just so unfortunate that so many families had to suffer as a result.

[logicalvelocity]

This amendment won't help the victims that have been alienated out of their children lives. This issue also needs to be addressed.

However, for the NCP's that have been put on the back burner and have been exercising the child's access regularly, the change in law to me would construe to be a material change of circumstance for the child.

The other thing to keep in mind is that it may take awhile for the provinces to jump on board and amend provincial statutes such as Ontario and its Children's Law Reform Act.


lv

[Fair4All]

Hi,

I've emailed my MP - Mr. Gordon O'Connor. If you're one of his constituents, here are his email addresses: mp@gordonoconnor.ca and OConnor.G@parl.gc.ca.