Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yesterday, when we concluded this department to recognize the clock I was making a statement with regard to child custody. In the Child Welfare Act, there are no sections in there with regard to custody going to the grandparents or relatives. The courts go by law, unless they have the consent of the natural parents. Normally the natural parents' views and wishes are respected. In this event a social worker works on a case for the courts, and the recommendations are based on the natural parents' wishes. Normally the courts would go on that basis regardless if there are other wishes by the grandparents or relatives. I was hoping you may be able to address that through the courts if you were able to have some kind of intervention in the act itself, which would allow some kind of intervention by the grandparents to allow the courts to decide whether the wishes of the natural parents should be abided by or intervention by the families could be considered while the process is going on. Right now, under the Child Welfare Act you do have such a section. One of the recommendations of the report by Justice on the family law review also refers to custody cases. Mr. Chairman, the family law review and the Child Welfare Act is a fairly broad document and we are not going to catch all of it, it will take some time. I think the department should seriously look at where they could make some changes now.
Samuel Gargan on Committee Motion 111-12(3): Allocation Of Funds For
In the Legislative Assembly on March 19th, 1993. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 111-12(3): Allocation Of Funds For
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 18th, 1993
Page 1044
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
See context to find out what was said next.