The first thing in terms of resources to support children is to ensure that there are equitable resources available to women. That has not been our experience of what is provided. Women who have been victimized don't represent themselves well. They aren't articulate. They are angry. They are hostile. They are unpleasant to deal with, and rightly so, having been through a difficult experience.
What is needed is an opportunity for that woman to move past that, to do her best to be able to speak and articulate for herself and her child. What we see is that women are not given that opportunity to have space to recentre themselves in such a way that they are able to fully participate. In terms of resources, the place to resource it is to be able to provide that space. We see women often being pushed quickly to move through a process. I take that as a lack of training on the part of family counsellors who are involved in that.
Secondly, and I will speak unguardedly, part of the problem is that, in some ways, this is a piece of legislation that is available to people who are affluent. The cost of being able to use the benefits of this legislation are difficult if you have no money. As I said, over 50% of women, 55% of women, have an income of less than $30,000. That prohibits you from affording a lawyer to be able to represent yourself. That's really one of the barriers, so I'd like to see anything you are able to consider in terms of resourcing that to make it more accessible. Supreme Court fees are even difficult for women who represent themselves to be able to afford that.
Those are some of the barriers that get in the way of women being able to go back to court when they know there is a difference potentially in income or other factors that they believe should be considered in light of ensuring the child's interests. In terms of those fees, you do control that. The administration of justice is provincial, but I understand that's the one place where you have some access to address it.