Make equal shared parenting default
Petitioners ask the federal government to amend the Divorce Act to make equal shared parenting the presumption, strengthen enforcement of court-ordered parenting time and authorize authorities to act when time is denied.
Why we would sign this petition
- Creates a presumption of equal parenting, increasing opportunities for children to spend substantial time with both parents.
- Stronger enforcement could reduce repeated costly litigation by giving courts and agencies clearer tools to ensure orders are followed.
- Authorizing authorities to act when time is denied may speed resolution and uphold court orders without repeated returns to court.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- A default presumption may not suit every child’s best interests in complex cases such as high parental conflict or logistical constraints.
- Empowering police or child-protection agencies to enforce parenting time risks criminalizing noncompliance and diverting resources from other public priorities.
- A rigid default and stronger enforcement could overlook family-violence risks or practical barriers, making case-by-case judicial discretion preferable.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled Children deserve meaningful relationships with both parents, yet parenting time is too often withheld despite court orders, causing emotional and developmental harm Existing court-ordered parenting arrangements lack enforceability, leaving parents with little recourse except costly and stressful returns to court. Equal shared parenting should be the default in custody cases, as it ensures fairness for parents and prioritizes the best interests of the child. We, the undersigned, parents, caregivers, and citizens of Canada who support equal shared parenting and enforceable parenting orders, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Establish equal shared parenting as the default presumption in federal family law (Divorce Act), ensuring both parents have meaningful access to their children; 1. Establish equal shared parenting as the default presumption in federal family law (Divorce Act), ensuring both parents have meaningful access to their children; 2. Strengthen enforcement mechanisms for court-ordered parenting time so that orders are respected and upheld without forcing parents back into repeated litigation; and 3. Empower law enforcement and child protection agencies with clear authority to act when court-ordered parenting time is denied.
Government response
No government response is available yet.