National family justice review
Sign on the House of Commons websitePetitioners ask the Government of Canada to establish a comprehensive national review of the family justice system, jointly with provinces and territories, and publish findings recommending reforms to improve timeliness, consistency, access and child-focused outcomes.
Why we would sign this petition
- Creates a coordinated, Canada‑wide review to identify inconsistencies and align laws, policies and services affecting children and families.
- Targets court delays, safety and access issues so reforms can reduce children's time in conflict and improve participation and protection.
- Publishing findings and recommendations would increase transparency and guide legislative, policy and procedural reform across jurisdictions.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Federal review may have limited authority over provincially governed family law, so it might not resolve key jurisdictional differences.
- Comprehensive reviews can be time-consuming and costly, potentially delaying urgent changes families need now.
- Without a clear mandate and implementation plan, recommendations may be ignored or lack enforceability across jurisdictions.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Children experience time differently than adults, and months or years of uncertainty, conflict and court delay can represent a significant portion of a child's childhood; Canada's family justice system should place children's safety, stability, well-being and meaningful participation at the centre of decisions affecting them; Families can face prolonged proceedings, significant financial and emotional hardship, barriers to accessing justice, inconsistent processes and difficulties navigating multiple courts, agencies and professionals; Concerns involving family violence, coercive control, child abuse, parental alienation, family estrangement and children's safety require timely, impartial and evidence-based assessment; and Greater consistency and coordination are needed among the laws, policies, procedures, agencies and professionals affecting children and families. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Establish a comprehensive national review of Canada's family justice system within federal jurisdiction and work collaboratively with provinces and territories on matters within their respective jurisdictions; Examine court delays, children's safety and participation, family violence and child protection, access to justice and affordability, self-represented litigants, enforcement of family court orders, accountability and professional standards, and consistency among courts, child protection agencies, police, schools, legal professionals, health professionals and other services affecting families; and Publish findings and recommendations identifying legislative, policy and procedural reforms needed to create a more timely, consistent, accessible, accountable and child-focused family justice system in Canada.
Government response
No government response is available yet.