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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Bill 211 - DOCUMENTATION OF CHILD ACCESS EXCHANGE ACT

Mrs. Alana DELONG, MLA for Calgary - Bow has proposed this Personal Members Bill 211 THE DOCUMENTATION OF CHILD ACCESS EXCHANGE ACT.  

The bill received 2nd Reading in the Alberta Legislature on Monday Dec 1, 2008 at 1730h.

Here is the video link for House Proceedings on Dec 1, 2008 (this requires Windows Media Player to be enabled in your browser).  The specific debate on PMB 211 begins at the 3h25m15s mark.   And here is link to Hansard hard copy (go to p 29/36 which is p2155).

Because the House is about to recess for Xmas, the bill will die on the order paper but Justice Minister Alison REDFORD informed the house she intends to adopt it as a Government Bill in the Spring session.

This bill is intended to formalize a protocol that allows divorced or separated parents (or legal guardians) to document an exchange of children as per instructions in parenting orders.   Currently, when one or both parents do not cooperate on respecting such exchanges a child is denied the opportunity to spend designated time with a parent.  This act will establish a responsible person and procedure to document that such exchanges have taken place and will be admissible as evidence in Court. 

Bill 211 will also expand the number of exchange locations and recorders to include, Day Care Centers, Schools, Doctors or Child Psychologists and even Churches.   These are distinctly different from those special situations where families are dealing with domestic violence.  Six specially designated exchange centers have already been established in major towns accross the province to manage such supervised visits and designated high conflict exchanges.  Otherwise, many families meet at RCMP stations.   Obviously, these high-conflict locations are unsuitable for the vast majority of divorced or seperated families.

I suggest this legislation will be useful to PAS impacted families.  Click here to find your own MLA contact info or link here to search.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Tonight (Friday Sept 19) - ABC's 20/20 will be running a segment on Child Custody.

Tonight - September 19, 2008 10:00pm ET 

ABC's 20/20 will be running a segment on Divorce and Child Custody. 
As many of you are probably aware Alec Baldwin's new book "Promises to 
Ourselves" is scheduled for release next week.  The segment tonight 
will include comments from Baldwin.  Check here for more info 
http://abcnews.go.com/2020


[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Fwd: Article on Vellacott's election race

Article on Maurice VELLACOTT's RACE
"He hopes to shift the focus to promote his campaign to change divorce
laws to enshrine the principle of equal parenting. Currently, divorce
laws are stacked against fathers, Vellacott said."

-----

Saskatoon Star Phoenix - September 17, 2008
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/third_page/story.html?id
=649b5a0f-91e8-46a9-9a94-ecdf64823151

Challengers not deterred by long odds
By David Hutton

Patricia Zipchen senses an opportunity as she approaches an older
two-storey home adjacent to City Hospital. It's the Liberal candidate's
first stop in an afternoon of campaigning and the house's lawn and
windows are covered with signs for Clint Davidson, her NDP opponent in
Saskatoon-Wanuskewin. "Well, this should be fun," she said, laughing.
She marches up to the door but is intercepted by the owner, a
middle-aged woman and mental health-care worker who's taking her two
dogs for a walk. The fast-talking Zipchen quickly highlights her close
relationship with Mayor Don Atchison and her history of fighting for
Saskatoon's smoking ban, then moves to some light chit chat about mutual
friends. "Can I count on your vote?" Zipchen asked. The woman, in a
hurry to start her walk, takes the campaign pamphlets, but remains
unconvinced. "Maybe if I had two votes," she said as she waved goodbye.

Taking out incumbent Conservative Maurice Vellacott in
Saskatoon-Wanuskewin is going to be a formidable task. The key strategic
concern of the pack chasing Vellacott is the vote split on the
centre-left, so wooing voters from the NDP is one of her main focuses,
Zipchen says. "I have a great deal more experience to offer," she said,
comparing herself with Davidson. "I've been telling everyone that a vote
for the NDP is a vote for the Conservatives."

Last week, while the NDP and Liberal candidates in the riding spent the
day door-knocking, Vellacott, 53, had just finished setting up the phone
line at his campaign office and was still dealing with constituent
issues left over from before the writ dropped. "I always joke that I
have two jobs ... I'm working on constituent stuff which (the other
candidates) don't have to do ... so they always get a head start," says
Vellacott, relaxing on a newly installed sofa in his Circle Drive
campaign office. Vellacott won by nearly 4,000 votes in 1997 and went on
to win by 9,000 votes in 2000, 5,000 votes in 2004 and 9,000 votes again
in 2006 despite high-profile candidates running for the NDP and the
Liberals. The riding is now a Conservative stronghold with Vellacott's
popularity in the faith-based community and the overwhelming support for
the Conservatives in the riding's rural areas.

This time, too, the competition is less politically experienced. In the
last election, the Liberals ran Chris Axworthy for a second time while
the NDP countered with former Saskatoon mayor Jim Maddin. In this race,
Vellacott is up against comparative political newcomers: Part-time cook
and corrections officer Davidson, 36, of the NDP and Zipchen, 67, of the
Liberals, who is well-known locally for her anti-smoking advocacy but
has no experience in federal politics. The Green party has nominated
Tobi-Dawne Smith, 31, a dog trainer campaigning primarily on a platform
of eliminating legislation that targets certain breeds of dogs.

In the past, those opposing Vellacott have run on the notion he has done
little for the riding since he's been in office other than promote his
socially conservative views. In the last election, the campaign became
heated after a Liberal campaign worker phoned a call-in show on cable
television and made accusations of Vellacott that prompted a lawsuit.
This time, though, his opposition seems less willing to resort to
personal barbs and name-calling. "I won't attack Mr. Vellacott," Zipchen
said. "There are a lot of other issues." That suits Vellacott just fine,
he says. He hopes to shift the focus to promote his campaign to change
divorce laws to enshrine the principle of equal parenting. Currently,
divorce laws are stacked against fathers, Vellacott said. "Every
candidate for every election I've ever had has crabbed about Vellacott
didn't do this or that, it's stock and trade. ... But that hasn't
worked. Everyone has tried to use it and it's time to try something
else."

For Davidson, the challenge is making the transition from a
behind-the-scenes campaign manager and organizer to the party's
frontman. He's helped manage several NDP campaigns across the country in
the last decade but this is the first time he's taken a shot at public
office. Door-knocking off 33rd Street last week, he forgot several times
to take down updated voter information. "The organizer in me is getting
frustrated with the candidate in me," he joked.

He hopes to get lower gas prices by prosecuting oil companies that
collude on price increases, an issue he's sure to hear about
door-knocking, he said. He's travelled to the front lines of picket
lines in the riding to show his support for striking workers. "Here are
these employers making millions and millions in profit," he said "I feel
for the workers ... they need to be getting more."

Reducing pressure on the health-care system is her main priority,
Zipchen said. Her brother and sister died recently from cancer and she
believes the federal government can play a stronger role in combating
chronic illnesses.

Smith hopes to bring some awareness to the little-known issue of dog
breed specific legislation in Canada, such as a law in Ontario that bans
new pit bulls and orders existing ones to be sterilized. She's close to
the issue, as she spends her days training dogs to aid people with
disabilities and teaching dogs to do everything from dialing 911 to
doing laundry and retrieving medication. "The dogs don't need to be
punished based on their breed," she said. "The owners do."

---

Saskatoon-Wanuskewin

This riding is composed of the northwest part of Saskatoon and rural
areas to the north and west of the city, including Leask, Rosthern,
Warman, Martensville and Radisson. The riding's population is around
72,000, according to the last census.

Clint Davidson, NDP: Cook and corrections officer from Blaine Lake.
Lives in Fairhaven.

Tobi-Dawne Smith, Green: A disability rights advocate and dog trainer.
Lives in Mayfair.

Maurice Vellacott, Conservative: A former pastor and health-care worker.
Lives in Corman Park.

Patricia Zipchen, Liberal: A retired nurse and anti-smoking advocate.
Lives in East College Park.

Riding politics: The incumbent, Maurice Vellacott, first won the seat in
1997 with the Reform party. In 2006, as a Conservative, he beat Liberal
Chris Axworthy by 9,098 votes.

Online lawn signs: Patricia Zipchen of the Liberals leads the way with
58 Facebook supporters, followed by the NDP's Clint Davidson with 32, as
of Tuesday morning. Tobi-Dawne Smith, the Green party candidate, has
nine Facebook supporters but also runs a popular dog-training advice
website, noselicks.com. Maurice Vellacott is old-school with no Facebook
profile. Unlike the last campaign, there seem to be no anti-Vellacott
websites.

(c) The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008
(c) 2005 - 2008 Canwest Digital Media, a division of Canwest Publishing Inc.
[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Equal Parenting as an Election Issue?

I believe that the presumption of "Equal Parenting" - as proposed in 
PMM-483 - is a necessary condition to gaining some redress on PA 
issues in Divorce.   Without such a presumption in high conflict 
divorces, courts play "favourites" and extinguish one parents rights 
in favour of the other perpetuating a "winner takes all" solution. 
High conflict divorce is synonymous with Parental Alienation. 

With an election declared, PMM-483 will die. 

I suggest that parents who believe PA is an important Family Law issue 
press their local candidates to indicate their position on an "Equal 
Parenting" amendments to the Divorce Act. 

This fellow in Quebec is hoping to run on this issue. 
http://www.canadamotion483.blogspot.com/ 


[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Friday, August 29, 2008

Online PA Workshop - Overcoming Parental Alienation - What Works, What Doesn’t and Why

 thought I would pass on notice of this upcoming Online Workshop on 
"How to deal with PA" by noted PA authority Dr. J. Micheal BONE at 
http://www.overcomingparentalalienation.com/class2.htm 

It looks like a useful seminar and is quite reasonable at $45 for 3x3h 
online sessions. 

Here is the "blurb": 

            - Your children refuse to see you. They hang up on you 
when you call them on the phone. If your children do 
              talk  to you, their profanity-laced tirades shock and 
destroy you. In these cases do you want to: 

             - Attend a Court-ordered therapy program with your 
children that most likely will make your bad 
               situation  worse? 

              - Engage a therapist who believes that you are an 
abusive, controlling and dangerous parent – before 
                 you even walk through the office door? 

               - Have a therapist report to the Court that your 
relationship with your children has always been damaged? 

               - Work with a therapist who believes you have never 
been involved in your children’s lives – before 
                 ever talking to you? 

               - Work with a therapist who reports biased perceptions 
to the Court as objective fact? 

                - If you want nothing more than normal relationships 
with your children, you don’t want any part of 
                  these scenarios. Yet sadly, many loving parents find 
themselves in these situations. 

                 - If you’re one of these parents, this course could 
be of significant help to you and your attorney. 

Regards, crj

[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Report on Edmonton F4J Rally - Aug 21, 2008

More like a Chorus than a Rally, it took place as planned between Noon 
and 1330h in Sir Winston Churchill Square opposite the CBC and Milner 
Branch/Downtown Central Library on Thursday Aug 21, 2008. 

F4J Canada Superhero's, Batman and Robin arrived in their purple 
Barneymobile and were the star distraction for the many 100's of 
people who passed through the square over their lunch break.   (It was 
a bit overcast and cool - unlike the humid week before - but I think 
that may actually have encouraged pedestrian traffic.)    The 
Barneymobile pumped out inspiring tunes while the Dynamic Duo struck 
impressive poses and generally behaved like Superhero's passing out 
purple F4J wristbands and literature explaining support for MP 
Vellacott's  PMM-483.   About 12 supporters of "Equal Parenting after 
Divorce" amendment passed out literature, held or wore signs  and 
engaged approximately 400-500 lunch hour pedestrians in the square 
about Family Law reform. 

Press coverage was disappointing and although CBC TV showed up and 
interviewed Melanie Greenfield - her comments never aired as the 
Beijing Olympic's preempted the regular TV News broadcast.  Metro ran 
a short piece that appeared in the Friday/Weekend Aug 22 issue but 
that was it. 

For photo's and additional details go to www.ecmas.org or www.F4JCanada.com.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Father 4 Justice CANADA - Cross Canada Crusade to support MP Maurice Vellacott's Private Member Motion (PMM-483) for Equal Parenting after Divorce



ATTENTION Everyone

You are all invited to this Edmonton Rally at Noon, Thursday Aug 21 at Sir Winston Churchill Square (in front of Edmonton City Hall - Downtown)

Dynamic Duo will be making an appearance!    This kind of ACTION is what many "Targeted Parents" have suggested to me in the past.

This Cross-Canada Crusade is to support MP Maurice Vellaott's Personal Members Motion (PMM-483) to enshrine the principal of "Equal Parenting" in the Federal Divorce Act.   A strong and visible SHOW OF SUPPORT WOULD MAKE GOOD PRESS AND PERHAPS GET POLITICIANS TO NOTICE?

I realize that it many not be everyone's "cup of tea" but in the spirit of MORE INFO IS BETTER THAN LESS, I am broadcasting to all.

Regards, crj

p.s detailed Press Release has other Cities/Towns TENTATIVE schedule



[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Earth Shattering Precident - Ontario child sent to USA for PA "de-programming"

Historic Canadain legal decision 
====================================================================== 
Judge rules father brainwashed son into hating his mother 
KIRK MAKIN 
May 15, 2008 at 7:23 PM EDT 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080515.wcustody16/BNStory/National/home/ 

TORONTO — A 13-year-old Ontario boy whose domineering father 
systematically brainwashed him into hating his mother can be flown 
against his will to a U.S. facility that deprograms children who 
suffer from parental alienation, an Ontario Superior Court judge has 
ruled. 

Mr. Justice James Turnbull ordered the boy – identified only as LS – 
into the custody of his mother. He said that the boy urgently needs 
professional intervention to reverse the father's attempt to poison 
his mind toward his mother and, in all probability, to women in 
general. 

"There will probably be future significant problems experienced by LS 
if the court does not intervene – including significant personal guilt 
for his part in the rejection of his mother, anger towards women, and 
dysfunctional relationships with women," Judge Turnbull said. 

The judge flatly refused to take the boy's opinion on the therapy into 
account, saying that LS cannot exercise "free discretion in expressing 
his views" because of the influence his father has had on him. 

Judge Turnbull observed that the father, 54, has repeatedly breached 
court orders granting the mother limited access to her son. He said 
that the boy has come to perceive himself and his father as 
"intertwined and unable to distinguish one's thoughts from the 
other." 

As part of his campaign of absolute control over LS, the father 
dictated toxic e-mails for the boy to send to his mother. He also 
removed photographs of the mother from her son's bedroom. 

Judge Turnbull also noted that in 2005, the father pursued an assault 
charge against the mother. As a result, LS, at the age of 10, was 
required to testify against her in criminal court. 

"Frankly, the exercise of such parental indiscretion stuns this 
court," Judge Turnbull said, adding that the mother was acquitted. 
Jeffery Wilson, the mother's lawyer, said Thursday that the case is a 
breakthrough for parents attempting to win back children who have been 
intentionally alienated from them. 

"This is a precedent in Canada – the first time a Canadian court has 
recognized the lack of resources to deal with the disease of parental 
alienation and answered it with a private remedy – the Family Workshop 
for Alienated Children," Mr. Wilson said. 

"The age of a child is no reason to justify a lost opportunity to know 
and benefit from both of the child's parents," he added.   In his 
ruling, Judge Turnbull praised the work of the FWAC and urged the 
Ontario government to encourage similar programs. 

According to evidence at the hearing from Dr. Richard Warshak, a 
founder of the FWAC, many children are so set against participating in 
a program that reunites them with a hated parent that they have to be 
transported by police or probation officers – sometimes in 
restraints. 

"In the case at bar, Dr. Warshak has suggested that LS would travel to 
the United States with transport agents on one flight, and his mother 
would follow closely on another flight," Judge Turnbull noted in his 
ruling. 

Dr. Warshak said that sessions focus on teaching children to assess 
their domestic situation critically, and to appreciate that both of 
their parents are essential to their well-being. 

Sessions, which typically last from three to seven days, lean heavily 
on video presentations, intensive discussion with psychologists, and 
opportunities for the child and his or her alienated parent to 
interact. 

Upon returning home, children receive after-care from a local 
psychologist. After several months, the child is usually ready to 
commence a relationship with the parent who caused the alienation. 

The parents in the LS case married in 1982 and separated in 2005. LS 
was placed in the primary custody of his father, a salesman. 

The father changed phone numbers, ignored e-mails and left the mother 
– a 49-year-old who works in public relations – with no alternative 
but to drive to arenas where her son's sports teams were playing in 
hopes of getting a glimpse of him. 

The mother launched court action last year in an attempt to win sole 
custody of the boy. After a nine-day hearing last fall, Judge Turnbull 
reserved his decision. 

He said that an e-mail the mother received in late 2006 was indicative 
of the father's control over the boy. "I don't want to see you and I 
never will want to see you ever again and who do you think you are to 
say my dad makes my distions (sic)," it said. "I MAKE MY DISITIONS. 
GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD. If I want to see your side of the family, I 
will call them." 

A child psychiatrist who assessed the father, Dr. George Award, said 
in a report that he was a mistrustful, autocratic woman-hater who 
"built a demonic image" of his ex-wife and turned his son into his 
entire social life. 

See Comments: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080515.wcustody16/CommentStory/National/home#comments

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Professional PA Resource Directory - ALBERTA

Everyone, 

I have been contacted by a AP who wondered if anyone could recommend 
(or, I suppose warn away) a Professional Therapist, Counselor or 
Psychologist to consult on PA Issues and perhaps retain for assistance 
with their family. 

In order to "OPEN" this up and avoid making "transcription work" for 
myself I have setup in a Google Form (link to: 
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pc2vv-9mJh_He1E0NxWQ_EQ

You can also find on "Important Links & Resources" page from this 
group's home page. 

Regards, 

Chris

[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Selected Reading List

Everyone, 

I have uploaded a Selected Reading List of my own books that I have 
found useful to understanding PA, Divorce, Parenting, Relationships 
etc. 

I have now opened up for anyone to add their suggestions. 

To access please go to "Important Resources & Links" page. 

Regards, 

Chris 


[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Friday, April 25, 2008

We did it!

Dear Everyone,

We did it!

Despite the cold winds, we held our Information Event and Petition Drive outside of Edmonton City Hall, Winston Churchill Square from 1100-1400h and at the Alberta Legislature (North steps) from 1500-1800h on Friday April 25, 2008.

We had the PAAO pamphlet, PAAD Alberta Petition, numerous PA resources (various books, suggested reading list, PAAO website Mission and Selected Articles printouts) as well as my laptop playing selected DVDs on PA topics and to keep spirits up, my personal PAAO iTunes
playlist.

It would be less than honest to say there was alot of interest, but the poor weather certainly had some influence.   In any case some curious individuals came and enquired about PA, and whenever possible we sallied forth to engage others.  Clearly, few are even aware of PA.

I would like to THANK EVERYONE who contributed to our 2008 PAAD Event and remind all that "from small acorns grow mighty oaks".

Over the next year I hope others will harness their own concerns about PA and join with us in order to make April 25, 2009 a better and more successful event.

Kind Regards,

Christopher JONES

[Ed: FYI, This is carried-over re-post from the former PAAO Alberta Google Discussion Forum. Photos of the "momentous" event are shown below.] 




Saturday, April 19, 2008

Week before PAAD 2008

On April 19, 2008, the week before PAAD 2008 Edmonton had a terrible arctic front move in. I had been planing on "checking-out" the City Hall venue so I could be familiar with our selected "site" and so I took my camera along downtown to document it for Toronto.

It was pretty miserable!  The snow was coming down fast and blowing hard (as you can tell).  In the main square were a number of workmen who were setting up tents for Edmonton  Fashion Week!  It seemed poetic justice as the "Fashionista's" were the major excuse City Hall had given to locate me off the square.

For those who are interested, here is the visual account.



I hope we have better "spring" weather for 2009.

Cheers, crj

p.s  Mayor Stephen MANDEL issued a Proclamation making April 25 "Parental Alienation Awareness Day in Edmonton".

Thursday, April 3, 2008

We need your help to promote PA Awareness Day in ALBERTA on April 25, 2008

Greetings, 

We need help in promoting April 25, 2008 as Parental Alienation 
Awareness Day in ALBERTA. 

Right now we are planning an education event in Edmonton on April 25 
but we are also looking for volunteers to create and host similar 
events right across the province. 

If you would like to help us, join this Google group (see link on 
right sidebar) and then complete our Online Survey indicating if you 
wish to volunteer and someone will respond ASAP. 

If you want more information about Parental Alienation and our 
organization, goto our Global Website at www.parental-alienation-awareness.com
It has a number of useful links and resources as well as background 
about PAAO - the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization. 

We will keep you apprised of future developments here in Alberta as 
soon as we know them! 

Sincerely, 

Christopher Jones

[transcribed from original Google Groups website on May 26, 2014]

Friday, February 22, 2008

2008 Alberta Election Campaign - March 3, 2008

Last Xmas (Dec 2007) I began thinking about PAAD 2008.  After visiting the PAAO website I realized that many groups across the world held events and I felt that Alberta deserved one so I registered with PAAO to be notified about any such event.  I didn't get an immediate response but after a few emails, Sarvy EMO passed on some other contacts around Edmonton.  We got in touch and once we began chatting we quickly realized that if there was going to be an Edmonton PAAD - we would have to make it happen.  And the rest is history!

We were goaded into action soon after that in early February when the Provincial General Election was called for Monday March 3, 2008.   We wanted to bring attention to PAS / HAP and related "Parenting through Divorce" issues. Then I found www.PostCardsFromSplitsville.com  by Kara BISHOP and thought these arresting images - created by children of divorce - would be an excellent way to convey our message. 

So, here are the collection of Advocacy Postcards we selected with Kara's help for printing. they have a short message about PAS with our address and room for a few of your own thoughts. You are encouraged to send them to your MLA and/or MP.  [Editor: The first 10 were printed and we still have some for sale. See below.] 
 



I still have some sets available for $10 (selection of first 10 cards), just mail me your cheque, payable to Christopher JONES, c/o Alberta PAAO #228, 10564-82 Ave NW, Edmonton AB T6E 2A7  (5% GST+ Postal Delivery is included.  Delivery upto 4 weeks).

Regards,
Christopher JONES