Podcast: Family Law Now

Family Law Now | Ep. 42: Divorce Act Changes – Part 2A: Best Interests of the Child

Written by Russell Alexander ria@russellalexander.com / (905) 655-6335

Episode 42

Changes to the Divorce Act were implemented on March 1, 2021. We’ve broken down the federal legislation into a six part series due to the quantity of important changes implemented. We hope to provide helpful dialogue for parties involved in family law matters and professionals in the family justice system to understand the changes.

Part 2A: Best Interests of the Child

In this episode, Russell Alexander is joined by associate family lawyers Margie Primero-Pimentel, Michelle Mulchan, and Alex De Melo to review and reflect on the new legislation regarding best interests of the child. They each bring unique perspective to the conversation with stories about their own clients, concerns about logistics, and potential for future outcomes.

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Previous Episode

Family Law Now | Ep. 41: Divorce Act Changes; Part 1: Objectives & New Duties

Next Episodes

Family Law Now | Ep. 43: Divorce Act Changes; Part 2B: Best Interest of Child (cont’d)

Family Law Now | Ep. 44: Divorce Act Changes; Part 3A: Mobility and Jurisdiction

Family Law Now | Ep. 45: Divorce Act Changes; Part 3B: Mobility and Jurisdiction (cont’d)

Show Notes

Department of Justice for the Government of Canada

Child’s needs (Section 16(3)(a), Divorce Act)

Nature and strength of child’s relationships (Section 16(3)(b), Divorce Act)

Supporting the child’s relationship with other spouse (Section 16(3)(c), Divorce Act)

History of care (Section 16(3)(d), Divorce Act)

Child’s views and preferences (Section 16(3)(e), Divorce Act)

Family violence (Section 2(1), Divorce Act)

Civil or criminal proceedings (Section 16(3)(k), Divorce Act)

Children’s Aid Society


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About the author

Russell Alexander

Russell Alexander is the Founder & Senior Partner of Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers.