Twentieth Anniversary of the National Day of the Child

Press Release: For Immediate Release Friday, November 20, 2009

The Canadian Equal Parenting Council observes the 20^th anniversary of the National Day of the Child

Ottawa, Ontario – In honour of National Day of the Child, the Canadian Equal Parenting Council hosted two events in Ottawa on November 19, 2009 for Senators, Members of Parliament, and the public concerning Equal Shared Parenting and the need for family law reform.

The first event, a parliamentary breakfast co-sponsored by Members of Parliament Maurice Vellacott and Raymonde Folco, provided a forum to discuss the Private Member's bill C-422. This bill is intended to revise the Divorce Act to make Equal Parenting the rebuttable default position. Dr. Edward Kruk, who has made extensive recommendations related to how our Family Courts adjudicate and manage the highly complex issues of divorce, was also in attendance.

The second event was be held in the evening at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa and was a free public information seminar held on equal parenting, an introduction to Federal Bill C-422 and the need for family law reform.

The hosting of the event occurred one day before the 20^th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which outlines the basic human rights children and youth are entitled, including the right to live with their parent(s), unless it is harmful to them. And for children whose parents do not live together, the basic right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might harm the child.

The last significant reforms to the Divorce Act were in 1986. It has been over ten years since the Joint Senate-Commons Committee on Child Custody and Access issued the report "For the Sake of the Children". This report made 48 recommendations on shared parenting and parallel reforms recognizing children's relationships with their parents should not end upon separation or divorce. The Canadian government has yet to implement these recommendations.

On June 16, 2009 MP, Maurice Vellacott introduced Equal Shared Parenting Private Members Bill, C-422, into Parliament. Bill C-422 reflects comprehensive input from the Canadian extended divorce community and would bring Canadian legislation in line with research on the best interests of children.

In observance of National Day of the Child, the Canadian Equal Parenting Council encourages Canadians everywhere to become familiar with Bill C-422 and to show their support for Equal Parenting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Canadian Equal Parenting Council is a Canadian family rights coalition of 41 organizations representing divorced mothers/fathers/children, grandparents, step-parents, and second spouses seeking: family law reform starting with equal parenting; gender equality; recognition of domestic violence as a genderless social dysfunction; and adoption of child and parental rights in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child within a clear statement of state vs. family boundaries.

Contact:

Kristin Titus, Co-President, Canadian Equal Parenting

Home office: 905-987-5777, Email: Kristin.titus(at)canadianepc.com