Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country have been voicing increasing concern about the proposed changes relating to child maintenance enforcement.
The changes make non-custodial parents, usually men, solely responsible for supporting children of divorce. The amounts these parents will be forced to pay will rise steeply and will have to be paid out of after tax dollars regardless of the financial resources of the custodial parent.
The bill is absolutely silent on the equally important issue of the right of non-custodial parents to have access to their children, access that is critical to the emotional stability and well-being of Canadian children of divorce.
This bill has been strongly criticized as rigid, unfair, scapegoating men, increasing stress on families and not in the best interests of children.
On behalf of the tremendous number of people who are speaking out against these proposed maintenance enforcement provisions, I urge this government to listen to their concerns and make important changes to Bill C-41.