Hon. Judy A. White: Senator Gold, my question will be in English. For the past nine months, 250 organizations have called on this government to legislate against the harmful practice in our family court system — parental alienation accusations. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls have stated that parental alienation is a discredited and unscientific pseudo-concept used by abusers as a tool to continue their abuse. Based on this discredited concept, courts are awarding sole parenting time to abusive fathers and no-contact orders against mothers, causing immense harm to children.

Senator Gold, you have previously committed to raising this issue with the government. Having recognized domestic violence as an epidemic in Canada, do you and the government agree that women and children experiencing family violence can no longer afford to wait for action on this issue?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I, indeed, did raise it with the minister, senator. I want to assure you that the safety and the well-being of women and children who have experienced family violence is a top priority for this government, and that is why the amended Divorce Act passed by Parliament in 2019 takes a strong stance in addressing family violence in parenting and contact orders. The government’s commitment to preventing the revictimization of survivors is highlighted in the passage of Bill C-233, which mandates ongoing education for judges on intimate partner violence and coercive control. The government remains committed to ensuring that the best interests of the children are the paramount considerations for all decisions concerning children, and I will raise this again with the minister when I next see him.

Senator White: Direct service providers, Senator Gold, including women’s shelters and legal clinics, are seeing first-hand the devastation caused by accusations of parental alienation on a daily basis. Will the government commit to taking urgent and decisive action against this harmful practice this fall by rendering parental alienation accusations inadmissible in family court?

Senator Gold: Thank you, senator. I’m not in a position to commit to specific timelines — please understand that — but I certainly will raise this specific point with the minister.