n are almost always far worse financially in divorce. Two-thirds of the women who receive alimony are lone mothers whose annual alimony income averages $4 900 or 14% of their total income of $33 500. Their ex-husbands pay out an average 9% of their total income of $55 400 (McGovern). A study conducted in 1988 for the Department of Justice found that after divorce, a womans average income was between 64% and 69% of mens income (Eichler). Since in the majority of cases the children reside after divorce with the woman, the per capita income of the female post divorce household tends to be much smaller than that of the male post divorce household. Third, fathers rights groups have held cross country hearings on how to change Canadas 30 year old Divorce Act in 1998. In an article written by Ronda MacCharles in the Toronto Star, stated that Parliament heard submissions that non-custodial parents often men are unfairly denied access to their children after a divorce. The report makes 48 recommendations that suggest not only legal changes, but also a cultural shift on how adults must share the impact of divorce on children. Some of the recommendations include the elimination in law of the words custody and access and the replacement of those notions with the concept of shared parenting which it defines as shared decision-making about schools, residence and medical treatment. The terms custody and access promote an adversial approach and emphasize parental labels such as custodial and non-custodial parent or primary care-giver as well as the notion of parental rights that stress ownership instead of parental responsibilities. Other recommendations included to encourage all parents to develop a parenting plan before separation that would outline how arguments would be settled. The committee would also like the courts not to favor one parent over another on the basis of gender when making their decision. If these proposals are impleme...
