Mr. Speaker, I know how hard the member has worked on the issue of gender equity and on the issue generally of domestic violence. I know the member is aware that Health Canada recently issued a report on the incidents of domestic violence. Based on survey data, it concluded that the incidents of domestic violence or violence was perpetrated equally by men against women and women against men. I believe this tells us that the issue of family violence or domestic violence should not have a gender with regard to our discussions. Should there be a perpetrator, clearly the courts have to take that into account.
The joint Commons-Senate committee on custody and access produced the report “For the Sake of the Children” in December 1998. It also looked at this matter very carefully and received witnesses from across Canada. Based on the testimony, one thing it concluded was that children had the right to love each parent even though the parents hated each other.
I believe, subject to check, that the joint committee also recommended that even if there were a situation of violence or abuse, there were cases in which a parent, even if accused or convicted of domestic violence, could still have supervised access to the children.
Would the member concur that the issue of custody should certainly take into account the family violence facts, but that even if there should be some evidence of some past or recent abusive behaviour, that parent should not be precluded from having at least supervised access to their children?