Superman aka Domenic Charbonneau rolled into the Soo Saturday evening in support of the group Father 4 Justice. The group petitions for changes in the family court system and promotes equal parenting for children of divorce.
Charbonneau is part of a cross country to campaign to increase support for a Private Members Motion that is to be presented by Maurice Velliacott, MP Saskatoon-Wanuskewin on October 8th. PMM-483 proposes changes to the Federal Divorce Act to include the principle of equal parenting after divorce.
The ‘Barney Mobile’ left Vancouver August 18th and will travel to St. John Newfoundland and then back track to Ottawa. The van is driven by volunteers for different legs of the tour. Charbonneau will spend the next few days driving the van through Northern Ontario.
The drivers and other volunteers dress in super hero costumes. “To demonstrate that all parents are heroes to our children.” says Charbonneau.
Charbonneau knows the pain of being separated from his 6 year old daughter and having to fight in court for permission to see her. “They are very slow and they are very adversarial” says Charbonneau who eventually fired his own lawyer when he became frustrated with her intent to demean his wife rather than concentrate on his abilities as a parent and the positive influence he would be in his daughter's life. “Fathers are more than a dollar amount on a cheque. The bias of the court system doesn’t make sense.” He says of the courts favouring the mother with custody of children.
Charbonneau’s custody fight actually began in Gatineau in the Quebec courts and then his wife and daughter moved to Sudbury. When he later moved to Oshawa his battle moved to the Ontario Family Court, “They are both awful.”
“They say it’s for the best interest of the child but isn’t having both parents in the better.” says Charbonneau. Member of the local chapter of the Fathers 4 Justice Steve Plastino agrees. “There should be a presumption of joint parenting from the get go.” Plastino has also been involved in the family court system regarding custody.
“I’m lucky now.” says Charbonneau of his situation with his ex-wife. “We can usually work things out for my daughter together.” However he is still bound by his visitation rights which allow him two weeks in the summer and one weekend a month. “A parent shouldn’t have to visit their child.” he says “They should be parenting.”
For more information about Fathers 4 Justice and their cause visit these web sites:
www.fathers-4-justice-canada.ca
www.canadianepc.com
http://f4j-soo.blogspot.com
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