06/02/2026
We need to move past the "gendered" narrative of parental alienation. 📊
There is a persistent misconception that parental alienation is primarily a "fathers’ issue." But when we look at the data, the reality of family violence is far more complex — and inclusive.
A 2024 national Nanos survey of 1,000 Canadian adults reveals that the gender divide in alienating behaviors is relatively modest:
🔹 6.3% of Canadians reported that their mother tried to damage their relationship with their father.
🔹 4.5% of Canadians reported that their father did so.
What does this tell us? It tells us that parental alienating behaviors are not specific to one gender. They are a broader family violence issue that impacts children, regardless of which parent is the target.
💡 As a family law practitioner, I believe we must stop treating this as a partisan issue and start viewing it through the lens of child safety and family health. Furthermore, we must ask: do we need more radical change? The Divorce Act and provincial legislation were significantly amended in 2021 to provide robust, priority-focused protections.
The family law community isn't calling for more legislative overhauls; we are calling for time to effectively implement the protections we already have.
Let’s focus on the law as it exists, and the families it is meant to serve. Read the blog linked below to learn more:
https://www.complexfamilylaw.com/blog/2026/05/bill-c-223-is-not-in-the-best-interest-of-canadians/