Custody, Access and Child Support in Canada REPORT ON FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL CONSULTATIONS Fall 2001 Custody, Access and Child Support in Canada REPORT ON FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL CONSULTATIONS Presented to the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Family Law Committee Prepared by IER Planning, Research and Management Services The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Family Law Committee. Aussi disponible en français REPORT ON FEDERAL- PROVINCIAL- TERRITORIAL CONSULTATIONS CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i INTRODUCTION 1 Report Structure............................................................................................................................................1 Summary Report ...................................................................................................................................1 Appendices............................................................................................................................................1 The Family Law Committee .........................................................................................................................2 THE CONSULTATION PROGRAM 3 Purpose of the Consultation..........................................................................................................................3 Methodology.................................................................................................................................................3 Design of the Consultation Program.....................................................................................................3 Development and Distribution of the Consultation Document and Feedback Booklet ........................4 Development and Use of the Discussion Guide....................................................................................4 Receipt of Briefs and Letters.................................................................................................................4 Implementation of the Workshops........................................................................................................4 SUMMARY OF THE CONSULTATIONS: WORKSHOPS AND SUBMISSIONS 7 Best Interests of Children..............................................................................................................................7 Specifying Factors in the Divorce Act...................................................................................................8 Specific Factors.....................................................................................................................................9 The Opinion of Youth Participants .....................................................................................................14 Roles and Responsibilities of Parents .........................................................................................................17 Factors Enabling Good Parenting After Separation or Divorce..........................................................17 Awareness of and Improvements to Services .....................................................................................20 Using Terms Other Than Custody and Access....................................................................................24 Options for Legislative Terminology..................................................................................................27 Summary of Predominant Themes on Terminology ...........................................................................36 Family Violence..........................................................................................................................................38 Issues Facing Children ........................................................................................................................39 How Well Does the Family Law System Promote the Safety of Children and Others?.....................40 Terminology and Legislation: Messages and Specific Issues.............................................................41 Perspectives on the Five Legislative Options .....................................................................................46 Mechanisms for Ensuring Implementation of Legislation..................................................................49 Improvements to Services...................................................................................................................49 High Conflict Relationships........................................................................................................................54 Promoting the Best Interests of Children ............................................................................................54 Legislative Approaches.......................................................................................................................55 Legislative Options .............................................................................................................................56 Improvements to Services...................................................................................................................60 REPORT ON FEDERAL- PROVINCIAL- TERRITORIAL CONSULTATIONS Children’s Perspectives...............................................................................................................................61 Taking Children’s Perspectives into Account.....................................................................................62 Should Children’s Perspectives be Better Incorporated?....................................................................62 How to Incorporate Children’s Perspectives.......................................................................................64 Meeting Access Responsibilities ................................................................................................................66 Encouraging Parents to Meet Access Responsibilities .......................................................................67 Promoting Meeting Access Responsibilities Through the Law ..........................................................68 Services to Support Meeting Access Responsibilities ........................................................................70 Child Support..............................................................................................................................................72 Child Support in Shared Custody Situations.......................................................................................73 Impact of Access Costs on Child Support Amounts...........................................................................76 Child Support for Children at or Over the Age of Majority................................................................78 Child Support Obligations of a Spouse Who Stands in Place of a Parent...........................................80 SUMMARY OF THE CONSULTATIONS 82 Best Interests of Children............................................................................................................................82 Roles and Responsibilities of Parents .........................................................................................................83 Family Violence..........................................................................................................................................83 High Conflict Relationships........................................................................................................................84 Children’s Perspectives...............................................................................................................................84 Meeting Access Responsibilities ................................................................................................................85 Child Support..............................................................................................................................................85 Child Support in Shared Custody Situations.......................................................................................85 Impact of Access Costs on Child Support Amounts...........................................................................86 Child Support for Children at or Over the Age of Majority................................................................86 Aboriginal Perspectives ..............................................................................................................................86 Services.......................................................................................................................................................87 NEXT STEPS 88 REPORT ON FEDERAL- PROVINCIAL- TERRITORIAL CONSULTATIONS APPENDIX A: REPORT ON YOUTH WORKSHOPS 91 APPENDIX B: REPORT ON ABORIGINAL WORKSHOP 107 APPENDIX C: REPORT ON PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL WORKSHOPS 119 Alberta ......................................................................................................................................................119 British Columbia.......................................................................................................................................133 Manitoba ...................................................................................................................................................145 New Brunswick.........................................................................................................................................163