Write MP Vellacott and your own MP today - Here's Why

[karmaseeker]

Thank you for taking the time to contact me and share the challenging situation that you are your husband are facing with his ex-spouse. As a Member of Parliament, I have heard similar situations from my own constituents.

I want to assure you that I will keep your experience under consideration as the opportunity arises to make the changes necessary to provide a more equitable system in Canada for divorced spouses. In this regard, I would like to direct you to my colleague, MP Maurice Vellacott, who introduced Bill C-422 in the previous Parliament. Bill C-422 would have amended the Divorce Act to replace the concept of “custody orders” with that of “parenting orders”. It would have instructed judges, when making a parenting order, to apply the principle of equal parenting unless if it is established that the best interests of the child would be substantially enhanced by allocating parental responsibility other than equally.

While Bill C-422 did not pass the previous Parliament, I am confident that MP Vellacott will be reintroducing this legislation. I would encourage you to contact him to communicate the changes to the current divorce and family court system that you feel should be made. You can email him at maurice.vellacott@parl.gc.ca.

Again, thank you for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Joy Smith, MP
Kildonan – St. Paul

[karmaseeker]

Dear Mr. Vellacott,

I am forwarding you the response that I received from MP Joy Smith who pinpoints you as the Member of Parliament who has put on his agenda the vital need to amend the current Family and Divorce Laws in Canada. It is very much my hope that you continue this quest as I am aware of many cases of gross injustice through the current Legal System. I wrote to you my personal story on the 20th July (see below for easy reference) and I am in contact with many others who's stories are not far different. The time for change can not come soon enough for the current families trapped in a system that sets to destroy families with even farther reaching consequences of children who too often grow up with lifelong afflictions or delinquencies as a result of the current practices.

It is my belief that the following amendments need to be addressed as soon as possible so that Canada can preserve its health, integrity, and justice for all.

1. Automatic joint shared custody. With the onus on the the claimant to prove just cause to strip parental rights off of the other parent. I believe this is your plan with Bill C-422.

2. An overhaul of the Federal Guidelines so that people are not left in a substandard standard of living after Spousal Support/ Child Support/and or Section 7 awards have been paid out. This means they need to take into consideration monies actually taken home - not grossed up figures, differing tax brackets, tax benefits and awards given to the recipient, cost of living, percentage of access, etc.

The Federal Guidelines are far too simplistic to deal with individual cases in a fair or equalized manner.

3. Immediate removal from court any cases that have highlighted Child Alienation into a private Arbitration setting wherein there can be swift resolve as these cases prolong abuse on children.

4. Immediate end to treating dads like criminals stripping them of licences or jail time. For these extreme cases - financial counselling or help should be offered to assist those behind in creating reasonable means of payment plans. Preventing men from either getting to work or being able to work at all seems to be the most ludicrous way of obtaining more financial support for their children. It strips his ability to earn and costs the tax payer more. Many men are not dead beats they just have been shafted so bad they are in a downward spiral that is quite simply impossible to get out of. Let's not have yet another suicide - robbing children of their fathers.

5. Accountability for those that break court orders. I'm all for volunteer hours when people breech contracts. Least it is more productive than other slaps on wrists. You didn't let daddy see his kids = 25 community hours at a homework club for disadvantaged children. You didn't pay your portion of section 7 - payment plus fine plus 25 hours teacher soccer at Tim Hortons camp. You didn't submit your paper work - Pick up garbage on the side of the Hwy. At present people can behave as badly as they want and fail to follow Court Orders with next to no consequences.

6. Having people abuse the court systems time and time again in vindictive and power plays benifits NO one. Repetitive motion makers need to cover the entire cost of the proceedings to discourage this vindictive behaviour.



I thank you for your time and efforts towards the cause. I look forward to hearing from you.

[karmaseeker]

My Equal Parenting bill will be introduced this fall and will receive a different number than C-422. So stay tuned as this crucial issue is debated in the year ahead.

Blessings on you,
Maurice Vellacott, MP


I've said it before and I'll say it again Write your MP and get them to see why the time for change is NOW!