Letter as sent to National Post Re: Family Courts

Letters@nationalpost.com

June 22, 2009

BREAKING UP THE FAMILY

I was appalled to read the article "Debtor dads displayed on Alberta site" (June 19, 2009).
As an Albertan, I was brought up to believe in equality of men and women. Yet the Government of my home Province has actually created a website that publicizes the pictures of dads who have missed spousal payments to the Alberta Government for six months or more. They are made to look like criminals.

They are Not. The problem is the Family Courts across Canada, which should be abolished. Instead of helping families stay together, Family Courts are openly biased against men. They act on perjured evidence, refuse to allow cross-examination, make orders against men who are not present, order payments that are beyond the ability to pay, and that violate the principles of justice and equality. Many are also unenforceable.

I have seen Family Courts in Ontario and am ashamed by what goes on. Nobody cares about whether the woman is responsible for the breakup. Nobody cares about whether she is a wife or a live-in or whether she cleaned out the bank account and then is demanding support. And the lawyers either do not know the law or do not care about the man's position. Get the case over with and collect the fees and move to the next case.

The result is destruction of families. Some men resort to suicide. Some disappear or are in and out of the system constantly. Many men who loved their children will lose them forever.

And children lose their fathers. Broken homes are a potential source for taking children out and putting them in child care that may or may not be good for them. Some will wind up on the street, as alcoholics or drug addicts or violent gangs. Whether they say so or not, they will miss having two loving parents to bring them up.

We can do better than the destructive Family Courts. I would rather see Governments use our funds for qualified advisers to identify the problems and help work out better solutions. The Family Courts have failed completely.

Sincerely yours,

(Dr.) Marguerite E. Ritchie, C.M., Q.C.
PRESIDENT
HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE OF CANADA