CHANGE NOT ENOUGH

Kamloops This Week
February 5, 2003
By Dale Bass

The provincial government is changing laws dealing with family maintenance orders, but Todd Eckert says it won�t address the real issue.

The new rules, which came into effect Sunday, are designed to make the system more efficient and less expensive for British Columbians dealing with inter-provincial orders.

The change to the act reduces the number of court appearances required to enforce maintenance orders, adding an administrative step instead.�

Eckert, Parent and Child Advocacy Coalition president, says real change is needed on all laws dealing with separation and divorce.

He condemns Bill C-22, planned legislation his organization views as designed to make the divorce system more adversarial. The act changes some terms � custodial parent becomes residential parent and access becomes parenting time � but does nothing to reflect the needs and rights of children, he says.

Eckert also wants legislation changes requiring mandatory, enforceable access and revisions to support guidelines to take into account not only net income but family financial obligations. The law is now based on gross income and does not allow for additional expenses.

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