The B.C. government is proposing broad changes that it hopes will discourage family violence and encourage separated and divorced couples to settle disputes outside the courtroom.
The province has been reviewing the Family Relations Act for the past four years and has now released draft legislation.
The proposed changes offer more options to resolve conflicts out of court and uses terminology the government says is less adversarial.
It makes the best interests of the child the only consideration when it comes to settling parenting disputes, including asking children for their views.
Those best interests will now include a history of family violence, how children have been cared for in the past and whether there have been any civil or criminal proceedings relevant to their safety.
Attorney General Michael de Jong says a "fundamental shift" is needed to help parents and spouses resolve disputes, using the courts only as a last resort.
