Super Heroes for Parenting
Angela Pezzotti for SooNews.ca
Monday, September 1, 2008, 1:43PM
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 New Foundland 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 concrete on his abilities as a
parent and the positive influence he would be in his daughter 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.cawww.canadianepc.com
Wed 04 Nov 2009, 1:36 am by 
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