Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to add my thoughts on the issue of custody and access to children by divorced and separated parents. As you are well aware, Mr. Speaker, under Canadian law, in all matters dealing with children, the key question the court asks always is what is in the best interest of children. In all cases dealing with custody and access of children, the court will consider all circumstances of children's lives including the circumstances of the parents. In all cases, the court looks to give as much access to children to both parents no matter who ends up with the day-to-day care and custody of the children. Because the court believes, as we all do, that it's in the best interest of children to have the support and nurture of both parents.

But we all know, and the court realizes this too, that this is not always the case, or possible, due to the specific circumstances of a case, whether it be because of the location where the parents reside or their life circumstances. In cases of older children, their own opinion and preference factor too. But the court would look at all evidence put forward by both parents before the court to make the right decisions for the children, even if the parents may not like them sometime.

On this basis, Mr. Speaker, I believe it's not supported by the evidence to suggest that the court has a bias against one parent or another. It is true that mothers are more often the one with custody of children by virtue of the fact that mothers are more often primary caregivers of their children, but this is not mandated in law. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I'm seeing more and more cases in my riding where fathers are getting the sole custody of children with access rights to mothers who move away from Yellowknife. I met three single fathers in my riding with teenage children just this summer, Mr. Speaker.

The same is true of child support payments. I was approached this summer by a mother who, since moving back to Yellowknife, is taking care of her children as much as the father, but is being asked to pay a high level of child support which has required her to have two part-time jobs on top of her government job.

Mr. Speaker, I'm also aware that in all cases the court supports and tries to honour any workable arrangements jointly agreed to by the estranged parents who set aside their differences to make it work in the best interest of children. I'm also aware that the court supports any effort at mediation between the parties and in some cases...Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?