Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know yesterday we had a bit of a go-between with the Minister talking about amendments to the Maintenance Enforcement Act. Part of supporting a motion like this, again, gets back to the children. I believe strongly that both parents should be involved in the upbringing of a child.

If you look around the world, the movement is going to a default system of equal, shared parenting so that both parents in separation and divorce have equal access to children. To me, that’s a fundamental right. I believe many rights in this country, Canada…. We call ourselves a democracy. I think given our current divorce legislation in this country, the rights of many parents, not just fathers but mothers in some cases, have been trampled on. I believe strongly that we need to be looking at this. It’s happening in Australia, in Belgium, in Italy and in Great Britain.

Unless proven otherwise, both parents should have equal access to children. I think when custody is shared, there is not as much animosity between the parents. There are not as many issues with maintenance enforcement, as both share the children and the upbringing of the children. I believe this is fundamental. For the sake of the children of this country, I’m waiting anxiously for this vote to take place and debate to take place in the House of Commons in Ottawa this fall.

I would look to Members of this House to lend our support to the government in Ottawa to open up the federal Divorce Act and make amendments to it so

we do have a default to equal, shared parenting in this country, and we get with the program of respecting the rights of everybody. Again, it’s for the sake of the children — having both parents in their life. This is something we need to do.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the deputy premier to allow Cabinet a free vote on this motion today, and I would request a recorded vote as well.