Bill C-22
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RECOMMENDATION |
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Her Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of
Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances,
in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act
to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements
Enforcement Assistance Act, the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension
Diversion Act and the Judges Act and to amend other Acts in
consequence.''.
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SUMMARY |
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This enactment amends the Divorce Act to introduce a new approach
to parenting arrangements, based on ``parental responsibilities''. Rather
than making custody and access orders, the court will make ``parenting
orders''. The ``parenting orders'' may allocate ``parenting time'' as well
as decision-making responsibilities regarding the child's health care,
education, religion and other matters. The court will also be able to
make ``contact orders'' governing contact between the child and
persons other than the spouses. Both types of orders are based on the
``best interests of the child''. The ``best interests of the child'' are
determined in the light of a non-exhaustive list of criteria that the court
must consider. The enactment also makes amendments to the Divorce
Act respecting the jurisdiction of the courts, and respecting the variation
of support orders when the spouses reside in different provinces. There
are also several minor and technical amendments.
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This enactment also amends the Family Orders and Agreements
Enforcement Assistance Act and the Garnishment, Attachment and
Pension Diversion Act to ensure the more efficient administration of the
support enforcement programs.
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In particular, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement
Assistance Act is amended to provide regulation-making authority in
respect of information that may be searched for and released under Part
I of that Act, to authorize the making of demands for income tax returns,
to include powers of monitoring and research and to provide for
protection from liability.
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The Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act is
amended to provide for priority of family support obligations, to
include powers of monitoring and research and to provide for protection
from liability.
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Both the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance
Act and the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act are
also being amended to make other related amendments and
amendments of a minor or technical nature.
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The Judges Act is amended to increase the number of judicial
positions available for unified family courts.
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The Criminal Code provisions respecting parental child abduction,
as well as certain provisions of the Firearms Act, are amended to reflect
the terminology changes to the Divorce Act.
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