May 9, 2022
Manitoba Government Introduces International Child Support and Family Maintenance (Hague Convention) Act
– – –Bill is Another Important Step Forward in Family Law Modernization in Manitoba: Goertzen
The Manitoba government is introducing the international child support and family maintenance (Hague Convention) act that would improve access to justice by providing Manitoba families with additional avenues for establishing, varying and enforcing child and spousal support where one party lives outside Canada, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced today.
“Manitoba will be the second province with legislation to enable implementation of this convention and it will greatly expand the number of foreign jurisdictions with which Manitoba will have child and spousal support reciprocity,” said Goertzen. “Implementing the convention doesn’t change Manitoba law governing child and spousal support, but it provides a new and important means for Manitoba families to seek and receive support from family members in other countries under the international agreement.”
The bill would enable the province to implement the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance. This 2007 convention is an international multilateral treaty respecting child and spousal support obligations when family members live in different countries.
“Manitobans come from, or have families in, all corners of the world and this bill will make it easier for them to enforce support payments when one party is residing in another international jurisdiction,” said Goertzen.
The minister cited an example that Manitoba families with children who have a parent in another country, including France, Italy or Brazil, would be able to obtain the assistance of the Maintenance Enforcement Program to collect child support from that parent if the convention is in force in Manitoba. The Philippines also recently signed the convention.
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