Bill C‑223, known as the Keeping Children Safe Act, is a private member’s bill introduced by Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner on September 18, 2025. It proposes major changes to the Divorce Act, aiming to protect children and survivors of family violence during divorce and custody cases.

As of February 2026, the bill has passed first reading, been debated at second reading, and is now at the committee stage for further review. It has not yet become law, but even at this stage it is creating serious concern among parents and professionals who work in family law.
The bill focuses on the "best interests of the child", emphasizing safety, dignity, and well-being. Some proposed changes include requiring lawyers to screen for family violence, creating safety plans when needed, assessing coercive control and abuse in custody decisions, and allowing children to share their views in safe ways. It also moves away from the assumption of equal parenting time after separation. This is where the problem begins.

Not all abuse is visible. Sometimes the worst kind cannot be seen, yet it can cause the most lasting damage. Something experienced by thousands. This is well documented and reported.

Where the bill becomes deeply troubling is in how it handles parental alienation, which occurs when one parent undermines a child’s relationship with the other parent through manipulation, lies, or emotional pressure. The bill treats alienation claims as largely discredited, viewing them as tactics used to dismiss legitimate abuse allegations. Under the proposed law, courts would rarely be allowed to consider alienation as a factor, except under strict conditions. Judges would not be allowed to order reunification therapy or limit a parent’s time with their child unless both parents agree.
This is not only misguided but dangerous. Parental alienation is child abuse. It involves coercion, isolation, psychological manipulation, and emotional cruelty, all of which are already recognized as abuse under the Family Law Act.

The irony of a bill that claims to “keep children safe” while ignoring such clear harm is astounding.

While it’s true that some abusers have hidden behind false claims of parental alienation, we cannot ignore the reality that many abusers use parental alienation itself as a weapon, deliberately manipulating children to harm the other parent. We can’t stand for one injustice while turning a blind eye to the other. This is exactly why our family courts need reform: no life‑altering decisions about children should ever be made without transparency, credible evidence, and true due process. This in itself is the reason why so many children and families go through Hell. Bill C-223 would allow for such nightmares and levels of abuse to go unchecked. This simply cannot happen.

Years of research and testimony from respected psychologists, doctors, and family law experts make it clear that parental alienation causes long-term damage. Children suffer deep confusion, guilt, anger, and loyalty conflicts. Many develop PTSD, anxiety, depression, or behavioural issues that last well into adulthood. Loving parents are left helpless as their bond with their children is torn apart, often without any meaningful remedy.

More on the subject here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/parental-alienation

This issue is not rare. It is happening right now in communities across Canada. Many parents are living this nightmare, watching their children suffer emotional abuse while the system looks away. For lawmakers to dismiss the reality of parental alienation is the opposite of protecting children.
Bill C‑223 is being presented as a way to protect survivors of violence, but in practice it risks silencing and punishing innocent parents while ignoring the deep emotional harm caused by alienation. Parents, advocates, and professionals need to speak out now. The well-being of children and the integrity of family law depend on it.

Now is the time to speak up. Contact your local MP and tell them how destructive this bill truly is. Share your story, write, call, and make your voice heard. Children deserve better, and families deserve fairness. Enough is enough.

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