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Old April 17th 09, 03:25 PM posted to alt.child-support
Henry
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Default Canada: Help Support Legislation for Equal Parenting

Please show your support for this bill.



Vellacott releases results of new equal shared parenting poll

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2009

OTTAWA Member of Parliament Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon-Wanuskewin)
today announced the results of a new poll on Equal Parenting after
divorce.

"The results indicate that four out of five Canadians (80 percent)
continue to support equal shared parenting after divorce with almost no
difference by gender, region, age group, or party affiliation," said
Maurice Vellacott. This poll was commissioned in conjunction with the
work I've been doing to advance Equal Parenting through Private Member's
Motions and Bills, Vellacott added.

The results are nearly identical to a survey conducted in 2007, and are
part of a long term trend indicating continuing high levels of support
for equal parenting.

Conducted by Nanos Research during March, 2009, the question asked
survey participants was: Do you strongly support, somewhat support,
somewhat oppose or strongly oppose federal and provincial legislation to
create a presumption of equal parenting in child custody cases?" The
statistical margin of accuracy is 3%, 19 times out of 20.

Last year Vellacott tabled Private Members Motion M-483 on Equal
Parenting to gauge parliamentary support and received 17 Conservative
and Liberal seconders to his motion.

"The response I received to this motion has encouraged me to proceed
with the poll and the drafting of a Private Member’s Bill in this
session with a view to garnering all-party support for Equal Parenting,
Vellacott said.

Poll results indicate that supporters of all Parties in the House of
Commons are united in their support for Equal Parenting, ranging from a
low of 76 percent for NDP voters to a high of 83 percent for the Bloc.

Recalling the popular support for the 1998 For the Sake of the Children
report, Mr. Vellacott noted that there has historically been broad
political support across party lines. Canadians have long called for
this; and countries such as Australia, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and
many US states have proceeded along these lines.

Mr. Vellacott has been working with members of the extended divorce
community to develop amendments to the Divorce Act. "The divorce
community are the real experts in this field as they have first-hand
experience with the strengths and weaknesses of the current
legislation," he said. The proposed amendments won’t solve all problems,
but they will certainly address a major point of contention in
divorce," he advised.

Equal Parenting calls for continuation of parental rights, and
obligations with joint legal responsibility and joint physical custody,
with the presumption that equal parenting time is the best interest of
the child.


For further comment, call (613) 992-1966 or (613) 297-2249