New look for Family Violence Initiative Web
site
The Justice Family Violence
Initiative (FVI) web site has a dynamic new look. It’s now more visually
interesting and easier to navigate. The Justice FVI supports the development
and delivery of public legal education and information to the Canadian public
on family violence.
The site provides information on
family violence in Canada and how the Department of Justice addresses family
violence issues. It’s a useful resource on the ways in which the Canadian
justice system prevents and responds to family violence.
New FVI Youth Web site
In addition to the new look for the
FVI web site, the Department of Justice has launched a web site on family
violence for youth as part of the Justice FVI. The intent of the site was to
fill a gap in information available to young people in Canada about family
violence. The site contains simple language and vivid graphics to appeal to a
young audience.
The site
contains information on:
- the types of abuse or violence that can occur in
families;
- laws and other ways family violence is dealt
with in Canada;
- how to seek help; and
- what young people can expect when they seek
help.
The site is
intended for youth who are experiencing family violence or know of someone who
is. The site has age-appropriate material for two target groups: one for youth
aged 10 to 12 and the other for youth aged 13 to 15. It may also be used for
research purposes by youth and others (such as teachers, social workers, etc.).
New database
helps parents find family justice services
“An Inventory
of Government-based Family Justice Services” has been added to the Parenting
after Divorce site.
The Inventory
is a user-friendly database that parents facing divorce or separation can
search to find information on government-based family justice servicesin
their province or territory and elsewhere in Canada. The Family, Children and
Youth Section collaborated with representatives from each province and
territory to compile the Inventory. It lists services such as mediation, parent
education and family court services, gives a brief description of the service
and provides the contact information.
Due to the
online nature of this resource and the frequency with which information will be
updated, the Inventory is available only on the Department of Justice web site
and is not available in print format. Please note that listings of family
justice services available in the province of Quebec are not yet available.
Support
Enforcement Unit hosts intern from Strasbourg, France
The Support
Enforcement Policy and Implementation Unit of the Family, Children and Youth
Section (FCY) had the pleasure of hosting an intern from Strasbourg, France.
Emilie Bensmihen began her six-week assignment at FCY in October 2006 as part
of the Hull Strasbourg Bars exchange program. Emilie had just completed her law
degree when she came to FCY and will be taking her Bar exams this year. Her
objective in doing an internship in Canada was to acquire international
experience in the practice of law and to benefit from an increased awareness of
global issues. In addition to her work assignments at FCY, Emilie was kept busy
meeting with representatives of the Quebec bar, local judiciary, attendance at
civil court proceedings and the Supreme Court of Canada. Her time with FCY also
offered members of the Department of Justice a unique opportunity for informal
discussions that increased their awareness of legal processes in France.
FPT
Inter-jurisdictional Support Sub-committee of the Coordinating Committee of
Senior Officials—Family Justice
The
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Inter-jurisdictional Support Sub-committee (IS
Sub-committee) met in Ottawa from December 4-7, 2006 to discuss the national
and international reciprocal enforcement of family support obligations. This
ninth annual meeting focussing on reciprocal support enforcement issues was
planned and co-ordinated by the Family, Children and Youth Section. In addition
to participating in national discussions, Canadian officials met with
counterparts from the United States and the United Kingdom to advance
cooperation and discuss uniform approaches to improving existing reciprocity
arrangements. The meeting was devoted to national discussions as well as
discussions on the latest draft
of, and negotiations on, the Convention on the International Recovery of
Child Support and other Forms of Family Maintenance by the Hague Conference
on Private International Law. Meetings with officials from the United Kingdom
and the United States also took place and Provincial Territorial Maintenance
Enforcement Programs Directors joined IS Sub-committee members for discussions
on the proposed new Convention.
Since 1998
Canadian officials working on reciprocal support enforcement issues have met
with representatives from the United States, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic,
Ireland, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, Hungary,
Germany, Israel, Bermuda, Barbados, Costa Rica, and the European Commission.
5th World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights to be held in Halifax
August 23-26, 2009
Halifax, Nova
Scotia has been chosen as the site of the 5th World Congress on
Family Law and Children Rights, August 23-26, 2009. The theme for this Congress
is The Child: Policy, Legislation and Legal Process Protecting Rights—How
can the voice and rights of the child be given substance? Since 1993, a
group of Australian judges and lawyers have organized a congress to discuss
children’s rights and family law issues every four years. Canadians have been
active in the Congress since its inception and a number attended the last
Congress in Cape Town, South Africa in 2005. A call for papers will be sent out
this year.
Spousal
Support Advisory Guidelines Project Update
Project
directors, Rollie Thompson and Carol Rogerson, spent much of the fall of 2006
meeting legal professionals across the country to obtain feedback on the Spousal
Support Advisory Guidelines: A Draft Proposal (released January 2005).
Since September 2006, they have participated in feedback sessions in B.C.,
Sask., N.S., N.L., P.E.I., and a few cities in Ontario (Ottawa, Kingston,
London). Sessions in other parts of Ontario and in the remaining provinces are
scheduled for early 2007.
Small group
sessions were chosen as the best method to obtain feedback in order to discuss
actual experiences with the Advisory Guidelines and the detail needed to make
specific revisions. Areas being considered for revision are set out in Issues
for Discussion: Revising the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines. One
consistent theme emerging from the feedback sessions is the usefulness of the
Advisory Guidelines in advising clients and in settlement negotiations.
For those who
have not attended a session and would like to provide comments and suggestions,
please write to: Spousal Support Project, P.O. Box 2310, Station D, Ottawa, ON
K1P 5W5.
The number of
reported cases in which the Advisory Guidelines are considered continues to
grow and is now close to 200. These cases have all been summarized and are
continually being updated. The most recent update is: The Advisory Guidelines:
Twenty Months Later, available on Professor Rogerson’s web page at the
University of Toronto web site provided at the end of this article.
The final
proposal for the Advisory Guidelines is anticipated in the fall of 2007. In
addition to the full version of the proposal, there will also be shorter
document—less than 20 pages—which can serve as an “operating manual”.
Important
note: The intent for the
Advisory Guidelines is that they continue to be used on an informal basis to
assist spouses, lawyers, mediators and judges in determining the appropriate
amount and duration for spousal support in Canada. The final proposal of the Spousal
Support Advisory Guidelineswill not be legislated.
All materials
on the project are now available on the University of Toronto Law school web
site.
National Child
Day
To mark
National Child Day, the Family, Children and Youth Section of the Department of
Justice hosted activities for departmental staff and their children. National
Child Day commemorates the United Nations’ adoption of the Declaration of the
Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and its adoption of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989. This year’s
theme was “The right to be heard.”
On Sunday,
November 19, children of Justice employees in Ottawa gathered for a painting
activity depicting “The kind of Canada we want to live in.” The children were
invited to communicate their pride in their country and their thoughts on the
future.
Also in
recognition of National Child Day, children and youth between the ages of
10 and 18 were invited to submit one paragraph on the topic, “What
justice means to me.” The winning entries appear below.
What Justice Means to Me
by
Marielle Butovsky (11½
years old)
I believe
justice means that something is fair or equal between people. For example, if
white people have the right to go to school, black people would have the same
right. This is fair for everyone. It also means to me that if people want to
express themselves they have the right to do so. That is what justice means to
me.
by
Simon DesOrmeaux (12
years old)
Justice to me
means fighting evil, saving people and helping the world. Justice is also
trying to understand the hows and whys of something. I am 12 years old and
I am different, and since I’m different, children are often mean to me, and
rather than getting angry (which I often used to do) I try to explain to them
why I’m different and why I take medication. For me justice also means to live
and let live.
by
Stéphane DesOrmeaux (10
years old)
What if,
instead of a serious essay, I wrote you a story? Well, I am writing you one.
Once upon a
time there lived a dispenser of justice named Eric. Eric was a hero who was a
lawyer, police officer and judge rolled into one. He even investigated crime
scenes. He did everything, all alone and unfortunately he was always sad.
One day he had
to ask for help and he turned to the only person who (he thought) could do
everything alone like he could.
This helper
was a woman, a woman named France. Eric decided that it was better to work with
France than all alone.
Now they
decided to work together. And they both realized that this was much less
tiring.
Thus they
decided to let other people work with them. Everyone had a role to play. This
greatly simplified things and made everyone happy.
Justice was born.