I am writing to bring your attention to the issue of child support in our province. As we all know, the well-being of our community starts with our children, and it is our responsibility to ensure their protection.

Unfortunately, the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP) has not been effective in protecting the future of our children. I would like to share my personal experience with the program. 

In 2015, a Family Maintenance Enforcement Program file was initiated for child support, of which I am the recipient. However, after eight years, the account has been in arrears for over 70% of its history, with the current arrears exceeding $6,000. Despite the payor earning six figures a year, they have shown little to no effort to pay the arrears, and the FMEP officer has not executed a federal interception on the payor's anticipated tax return despite my requests.

The FMEP's action against the payor has been insufficient. They have not taken away the payor's driver's license as he needs it for work, and the only action taken against the payor has been a lien on his home, which is of no consequence as he is not selling his home. Moreover, in 2016, when the arrears were approximately $12,000, the interest was only $10 per month, providing little to no incentive for the payor to pay the support amounts.

This situation is particularly concerning for me as I fled an abusive home with my three-year-old child, and the affidavit and admission of domestic violence were filed in the New Westminster Supreme Court registry in 2015. Since then, the subsequent financial abuse has extended and enabled the “reach” of violence, and the system's failure to act against delinquent payors with a long history is unacceptable.

I am fortunate to have a credit line, but the interest charges I have paid over the years could have paid for a nice family vacation. I am also worried about how other mothers without credit lines are surviving. The system's ineffectiveness has been going on for almost nine years, and it is unacceptable that these arrears continue to accumulate, leaving recipients struggling to provide for their children while payors suffer little to no consequences.

This family matter has had over 120 court filings in the Supreme Court, most of them to enforce child support orders, in addition to obtaining protection orders. I have had four protection orders, all resulting in breaches and probation orders. 

The Payor does not comply with the Supreme Court either. 

Anytime the payor disagrees with a payment, FMEP will not enforce the amount, as it is in "conflict," and I must prove my case in court, placing the onus of responsibility upon the sole caregiver to take days off work and pay filing fees.

I believe that the current system is set up for failure, and there are neither incentives nor consequences for failing to comply with the federal child support laws. I am grateful for the program as it was not available to previous generations, but we need to address its ineffectiveness and hold payors accountable for their legal obligations to stop the financial abuse against children and their caregivers.

I implore your government and the attorney general’s office to take action to address these issues, ultimately benefiting the children of British Columbia and the future of our communities. We need to ensure that single parents can provide for their children.  I urge you to take the necessary steps to hold payors accountable to their legal obligations and put an end to the financial abuse against children and their caregivers.