Published November 09, 2006.A haven for US deadbeats

Why is Nova Scotia so desperate for immigrants that it does not care if new immigrants use their immigration status to evade child support? My ex-husband, who has refused to pay support for our child every time an opportunity presented itself, has come up with a perfect solution--move to Nova Scotia. The United States and Nova Scotia have entered into agreements to enforce each other's child support order, and all of the paperwork to enforce my child's support was finalized in May, but still the legal process drags on, even though the deadbeat is a highly paid professional and child support enforcement is fully aware he is refusing to support his child. Under Nova Scotia law, before a child support order from another country can be enforced, deadbeats can challenge enforcement--despite the reciprocal enforcement agreement. Canadians are not given this chance to challenge enforcement before an order from another province is enforced, so it seem really cruel to give deadbeat immigrants this opportunity to leave their left behind children without support. Why isn't it a requirement that immigrants who have the means are required to pay child support as a condition of staying in the country/province? I just do not understand how a legal system can move so slowly when a child's welfare is at stake.

Desperate