Female Liberal MPs propose Divorce Act changes to protect children from
abuse
THE CANADIAN PRESS
December 5, 2007
OTTAWA - Female Liberal MPs will release a set of platform proposals aimed
at consolidating their party's lead among women voters.
Violence against women is one of the primary themes in the second volume of
the so-called pink book set for release Wednesday, which also includes
proposals for improving the lot of rural and immigrant women. A source tells
The Canadian Press that one key proposal is to amend the federal Divorce Act
to require that abuse and domestic violence be taken into account in
determining child custody and access agreements in divorce proceedings.
The proposal is modelled on recent changes to Ontario's Children's Law
Reform Act.
The pink book, to be released during a Liberal caucus meeting, is
essentially a series of recommendations to the party's platform committee,
which will determine which proposals will be included in an eventual
campaign policy document.
The recommendations of female MPs are important because the Liberal party
has historically been more popular among women than men. And Liberals have
been much more successful than the Tories in tapping into the female vote.
Liberal insiders contend that the Tory government is unpopular with women
because it cut back women's programs and cancelled the national child care
program launched by the previous Liberal government.
C The Canadian Press, 2007