e-5095

Petition to the Minister of Justice

• Civilian former spouses and partners of military members are more often female, underemployed or unemployed, victims of family violence, live away from their support systems, and cannot afford to return to court to enforce court orders;
• The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Department of National Defense (DND) have a duty of care to civilian former military family members that is currently being breached;
• CAF members are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, even when not on duty or in uniform;
• Many CAF members are disobeying court orders for financial disclosure and corollary relief (child and spousal);
• Civilian former spouses and partners of military members are continually denied assistance in enforcing corollary support orders by the Chain of Command;
• CAF members are weaponizing the legal and financial support systems for their financial gain and to continue their abusive behaviours. The CAF and DND are complicit in these acts despite having family violence and abuse policies; and
• A “service offence” under the NDA is an offence under that Act, the criminal code, or an Act of Parliament, CAF members who have failed to follow court orders for financial disclosure or corollary relief have prejudiced good order and discipline.