Madam Speaker, I thank all hon. members who took the opportunity to speak to Bill C-218, an act to amend the Divorce Act to require mandatory counselling prior to granting a divorce.
I have failed to properly communicate to members of Parliament the intent of Bill C-218. Two members of Parliament stood to lay out eloquent arguments why Bill C-218 was not the way to go to save a marriage, to reconcile a marriage. Bill C-218 has nothing to do with reconciling marriages, absolutely nothing. It is clearly not the reason for counselling.
The bill has two purposes. The first is to make sure a viable parenting plan is in place in which children are involved after the divorce occurs, after the family breaks down. The second is to deal with the issue of post-breakup acrimony, domestic violence and homicide.
Throughout my speech I attempted to lay out some of the consequences of family breakdown in Canada. I concluded through my research that children were the real victims of divorce.
Although the member of the New Democratic Party suggested that the bill was no way to reconcile a marriage, she went on to suggest that we had to make sure child support payments go where they should go. What better way than through an intervention by counselling to ensure that every party understands what should happen.
The member of the Reform Party raised an interesting issue. He suggested that there might be a constitutional issue here. I raise for the attention of all members that currently in Edmonton the courts regularly order mandatory counselling to deal with custody disputes. This program has been ongoing for two years. It has been so successful that the province of Alberta and its minister of justice have said he is hopeful it will become a province-wide initiative.
On the basis of what is already happening in Canada I can only conclude that constitutional concerns are not relevant in this case. However it raises a broader question about whether our constitution is dedicated solely to individual rights or whether there is room in that constitution for the rights of children who cannot exercise their rights, who have no control over their rights.
In divorce proceedings the mother has a lawyer, the father has a lawyer, but who represents the interest of children? Divorce is really a form of child abuse. Counselling would provide, as all members have said, that vital intervention which would ensure the interest of children in fact comes first.
The Reform member also mentioned votability. I too regret that. However that is our process. Let us deal with it rather than lament the fact.
On the issue of Quebec suggesting that this is provincial jurisdiction, the fact remains that the marriage rate in Quebec is lower than any other province. The rates of spousal abuse, family breakdown and other problems associated with family breakdown are higher in Quebec by a large factor over any other province. I do not suggest in any way that the Quebec model should somehow be followed.
I conclude my comments by thanking hon. members for putting their views on the floor. It is very important to hear a broad range of interventions. I thank all hon. members for their thoughtful comments.