Mr. Speaker, last week thousands of Canadians, myself included, were anticipating a favourable response from the justice minister to the report “For the Sake of the Children”. Despite five and a half years in this place, even I was holding out hope for the necessary change.
What a difference a week makes. Instead of bringing forward legislation or even an action plan, the minister announced another three year delay. She even went so far as to say that divorce reform must be accompanied by spousal abuse laws. What an insult to the millions of fathers whose marriages have failed for a variety of reasons, almost all of which have nothing to do with violence or abuse.
I am particularly frustrated with the minister because I have brought forward two private members' bills relating to these completely separate issues: Bill C-25 calling for shared parenting laws, and Bill C-494 calling for protection for abused spouses and their children whose lives are in danger.
If the justice minister really wants to do something about spousal abuse she should pledge her party's support to the quick passage of Bill C-494.