peleaguere

Catherine
Atyeo

AT FIRST glance, the recent
ruling by the Federal Court
of Appeal that taxing child
support payments is dis-
criminatory — and that
therefore, the support recip-
ients should not have to pay
tex on them — seems fike a
victory for custodial parents
(overwhelmingly women)
‘and children,

The judges made this ruling
with an appalling reality at the top
of their minds ~~ that two-thirds of
Canadian women and children fall

“into poverty after divarce.
As an attempt to begin turning
nround this unacceptable state of
“affairs, the judges’ ruling is laud-
able, But in terms of its abliily to
effect real and lusting social
"change — and belp ina significant,
lasting way the one in five
Canadian children living in poverty
-— | have some reservations,
. For one thing, it appears certain
‘that the federal government will
appeal the decision, by virtue ef
the (act that the ruling could create
i situation where divorce is
rewarded in the area of child sup-
port, se ate :
"TH cise you missed it, the num-
__ bers shake down like this: the tax
“on custodial parents (now ruled
unconstitutional) generated $332
million for the treasury, while
deductions for supporl payments
from non-custadial parents (usual-
"ly fathers with higher incomes)
cost the government $662 million
‘in lost revenue,
: Since the government is losing
its ability to tax support payments,

‘reality dictates that the deduction

for the parent paying support can’t
“also stay in place. ‘That's just too
» big a tax break for divorced cou-

_. ples (especially given the federal
deficit),
‘*. Ifthe government eliminates the
deduction for the support-paying,:

non-custodial parent, you can bel a

lot of men will be sprinting to their
lawyers to have support altered to
reflect the changed tax situation.

JUST ADD WATER

ooo

Not being from the all-men-are-
schmucks school, Ubelieve that if
fathers lose their deductions, a sug.
ment of them (and nobody can
uccurately say how lirge the sep-
ment is) will have legitimate finan-
cial reasons for seeking adjustnent
of their support payments,

As any family lawyer will tell
you, there are men who have to be
reminded by a judge that support
tor children has priority over mak-
ing payments on their new
Corvette. But let's consider the guy
pulling down $40,000 a year.

Under existing tax liws, his
monthly take-home pay after
deductions and his support pay-

= ment would be around $1,860

based on $800 a month in child
support,

Take his fictional ex-wife.

Say she's working purt-time,
three days a week and making
$20,000 a year, Her monthly net
income, after the government has
collected the tax on her support, is
around $2,020, With the new rul-

_ ing, her net inconte would be
approximately $2,220 and (if her
husband lost his deduction) he'd be
left with around $1,540.

_ No argument that she needs the
extra money to ensure a half-
decent life for herself and the kids,

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fal

but iv’s clear that if you remove the
support deduction for her “joe
average” husband, things are going
to be pretty light for him,

Douglas Chalke, a North Shore
fumily lawyer, acknowledges the
serious financial problems faced by
single mothers and children.

“A cauple of yeurs after at
divorce, generally men are doing
well and women aren't dolag as
well.” he says,

The single mother with wsutary
of $50,000-plus who's alse reegiv.
ing support payments is very rare,
he emphasizes, But Chalke points
out that divorce is often financially
stressful for a family, since for
most peaple maialning Wwe
houschotds is more expensive than
maintaining one.

“You've gota couple | who bare
ly had enough muuey to keep one
liousebold going and nove they
have to keep two going,” he says,

One of the most commonly

quoted statistics ti this debate is
that 809% ty 90% of Canadian men
dre fa arrears On Support payments,
The problems with that statistic is
(hat itleaves the impression men
are constantly in arrears with pay-

ments, when we know that at least“

a portion of men miss some pay-
meces:* times of financial distress,

How many men have defaulted

s tax breal

on accasion? The problens is that
statistic doesn't tell us softy these
men miss payments,

Roy Dungey, director of the
Maintenance Enforcement Program
in B.C., says this province's record
lor maimenance enforcement is
one of the best in Canuda,

Curteatly, there are 23,000

cases in progress, frabout 10% of
these citses, no money bas ever”
been received (a portion of these
defiilters are on sactal assistance
or ate unemployed),

In vbout 286 of cases, puy-
Tents are complete and regular. lo
the remaining 62%, some money is
being received but Where ure pay-
meals in aerears,

In pointing to the program's
success in enforcing maintenance,
Dungey points out that when the
prograns started in 1989, the 10%
figure was 24%,

Lawyer Chalke says the real
value inthe Federal Court of
Appeal ruling is that it could kick-
start a reform process that could
bring real changes to imprave the
financial position of women and
children,

“An appeal would allow time
“for cross-Canada public hearings,”
he suggests,

I's probably safe to say thuet
Outrawa is struggling to come ap

with a revenuesneutral solution to
the dilemma thit has been created
hy this culing.

But child support, and the ques-
tion of its taxability, is only one of
many factors that can doom
women and children to poverty,
Aad it ts faulty and shod-sighted to
lay the blame for child poverty on
fathers.

Child poverty, toa great degree,
results Troma lack of support for
women and families in this society.
Itresulls when potiticians, eniploy-
ers and others In positions of
power doa't make decisions that
support families,

When we know how many sin-
gle mothers are in mininuin wage
Jobs, why do we have a minimum
wage that is keeping a let of
women and children at the poverty
tine?

Why is it so difficutt for women
and men to get retraining without

oing into major debt and stressing
family life to the linsit? Why are
there SHI major tax breaks and
loopholes for the wealthlest indi-
viduals and corporations in this
country?

If the government is really seri-
ous about ending child poverty, it
had better start dealing dynantical-
ty with not just support payments,
but all the issucs,

eenescciray cree semana yr 9

Publisher’s position applauded

Dear Editor:

We would like to express our
support for Mr. (Peter) Speck’s
position in regards to the ongoing
multicultural debate.

It seems that vocal minorities
are trying to hijack our institutions
to serve their own narrow focus.

We think that the majority of
Canadians (not hyphenated) are
getting a bit tired of all the

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demands on our health, education,
welfare systen, by recent arrivals
to the country.

When we try to express any
view, other the politically correct,
we are immediately branded racist.

May we pose a simple ques-
lion?

“Does it make sense to allow
250,000 more people a year into a
country with an unemployment

1500 FELL AVENUE,

NORTH VAN

rate of over 11%, a fiscal yearly
deficit of over $40 billion, and
every taxpayer strained to the limit
to pay for increasing demands
from vocal minorities?”

Come here, by all means, but
why not look at what -you can do |
for this country, not what you can
take from Canada.

Mr. acd Mrs. J. Paterson

North Vancouver

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