Produced by www.kathleendavies.ca www.canadiangrandparentsrightsassociation.com
HELLO, EVERYONE: As you’ve probably heard, we have something to celebrate in BC! The New Family Law Act (NFLA), which became law Nov. 24, 2011, came into effect on March 18, 2013. As reported by the Legal Services Society (of BC), The (new) Family Law Act and Divorce Act “will be using different words to discuss the care and control of children. The two acts overlap in some areas but not others. The DA applies to married couples only, while the FLA can apply to both married and unmarried couples. Only the FLA talks about dividing property and debt.” THE YEAR TO DATE I have received a few calls since the new year re families in distress. It will be great to be able to refer them to our family justice centres and the new Family Law Act. While the new act overhauls the BC family law system and brings about many changes, with minor updates to the current Family Relations Act, there are a number of more sweeping changes of which you might be unaware. The new act: • addresses RELOCATION where one parent wants to move with the child and that
move would interfere with another person's ability to maintain his or her relationship with the child;
• expands the definition of a spouse for applications for SPOUSAL SUPPORT to include people who have lived together for less than two years but have had a child together; and
• promotes cooperation between spouses and different ways of settling issues without going to court. (dispute resolutions). Look for differences in:
• the language used in family law cases —for example, changes to terms like custody and access
• procedures for agreements to settle disputes without going to court (and when agreements can be set aside)
• how children's best interests are considered in parenting disputes. • guardianship, parenting arrangements and contact • children's property • child support • family law protection orders • spousal support • dividing property and debts • enforcing court orders (Note CGRA has been working for the first four since 1986.) See the guide or the complete version at: www.legalaid.bc.ca/publications or order:www.crownpub.bc.ca Warmest regards to you all, Daphne Jennings, CGRA
THE REPORT OF THE CGRA
PARENTAL ALIENATION AWARENESS DAY
Canadian Grandparents Rights Association Established in 1986
QUARTERLY UPDATE
QUARTERLY UPDATE
2013 SPRING EDITION
HELPING FAMILIES IN DISTRESS Since 1986, the Canadian Grandparents Rights Association has been helping Canadian families in distress after a divorce or death in the family. QUESTIONS ? [email protected]
Parental Alienation Awareness Day is marked in many corners of the globe— Mayor of Nanaimo John Ruttan made it official and proclaimed that April 25th would be Parental Alienation Day. “These behaviours, exhibited in people who may be going through high conflict separation or divorce, are damaging to children's mental and emotional well-being, whether verbal or not,” says Carmen Barclay of Go Between Consulting. “A child may be mentally manipulated or bullied into believing a loving parent is the cause of all their problems… to be feared, hated, disrespected and/or avoided. ” "If I didn't witness this ‘nightmare’ with my own eyes and ears—I never would have believed it to be true; how could a parent do that to their own child? " Paulette MacDonald, Family Justice Advocate.
