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C-223 — An Act to amend the Divorce Act
Every bill summarized in plain language. Not clear enough? Ask for an explanation.
C-223
An Act to amend the Divorce Act
14
LPC
In progress
▾
BILL C-223
An Act to amend the Divorce Act
Last activity : At consideration in committee in the House of Commons
LPC
In progress
Commons · 1st2025-09-18Commons · 2nd2026-02-04Commons · 3rdSenate · 1stSenate · 2ndSenate · 3rdRoyal assent
Sign-in required — one request per person, no anonymous requests
What it does, in plain language
- Amends the Divorce Act under the short title “Keeping Children Safe Act”, introduced at first reading on September 18, 2025 by Ms. Hepfner.
- Requires a lawyer acting for a spouse in a divorce to assess whether there are reasonable grounds to believe there is a risk of family violence and, if so, to put an appropriate plan and a family safety plan in place and tell the spouse about available support services.
- Bars courts, when deciding a child's best interests, from considering claims that one parent is deliberately manipulating a child to reject the other parent, with a narrow exception where the parent accused of interfering has themselves committed family violence.
- Prohibits courts from inferring that family violence has stopped or that reports were exaggerated solely because the spouses have separated, no complaints or criminal charges were made, allegations came late, statements were inconsistent, the couple still lives together, or there are no visible injuries.
- Removes any presumption that equal parenting time or ongoing contact with both parents is best for the child, and bars orders that force a child into “reunification therapy” (any program meant to rebuild a bond with a rejected parent) or that cut a close parent's time to improve the child's relationship with the other parent.
- Allows a court to hear the child's own views in writing or in a closed-door interview with an amicus curiae present, but only if it is in the child's best interests, both spouses agree, the child's safety and privacy are protected, and no other option exists; what the child says is shared with the parents only if that serves the child's best interests.
- Shifts the burden of proof in relocation cases: if the child mostly lives with the parent who wants to move, the court must approve the move unless the objecting parent proves otherwise, and the court must presume that parent will move either way.
- Provides that cases already underway when the law takes effect are decided under the new rules, and that a past decision based on a parental-manipulation allegation counts as a change in circumstances allowing a request to vary the order.
🤖 AI-generated from the bill’s official text as introduced — may not reflect amendments adopted since.
Registered lobbying
14 communications · 2 organizations
as of Sep 10, 2026
the 10 most recent +
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW10Women's Legal Education and Action Fund4
2026-08-11 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Lisa Hepfner — Member of Parliament
2026-07-23 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Doly Begum — Member of Parliament
2026-05-28 · Justice Canada (JC)
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Alicia Cooke — Policy advisor
2026-05-28 · Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Laura Colleony — Conseillère régionale, Québec
2026-05-28 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Nathalie Provost — Member of Parliament
2026-05-28 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Marie-Gabrielle Ménard — Member of Parliament
2026-05-27 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Alicia Cooke — Policy Advisor
2026-05-25 · Justice Canada (JC)
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Claire Farid — Director General and Senior General Counsel
2026-05-25 · Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Alyth Roos — Special Assistant Policy
2026-05-21 · House of Commons
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN AND THE LAW
Met with : Alicia Cooke — Policy Advisor
Communications reported to the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying that name this bill. Lobbying is a lawful, publicly registered activity — this count is a fact, not a verdict. Only communications whose description names both the bill number and its title are counted, so the real total may be higher. Registry archive read on September 10, 2026; the Commissioner republishes it about monthly, and we refresh it by hand.
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