We are a nonprofit, volunteer organization that helps and supports divorcing and separating parents deal with the challenges of the family law justice system and achieving the best outcome for everyone affected.
The Equitable Child Maintenance and Access Society (ECMAS) began in Edmonton, Alberta early in 1992 when several people facing similar challenges came together to help each other and many others facing the same problems. In April of 1994, ECMAS was registered in Alberta as a non-profit Society.
The Equitable Child Maintenance and Access Society brings people with similar challenges together to help each other cope and effectively deal with the life changes they are facing while going through a divorce or separation. Through discussion and guidance to proactive actions we work together to navigate the emotional and formal life changes that splitting up brings and achieve an outcome that is as fair and equitable as possible to assure everyone involved goes into a future of happiness, prosperity, and contentment.
Equal and equitable access to children by parents, grandparents, and others who love and care for them.
Champions the idea of natural law. That parents have rights regarding their children as well as responsibilities, and that this right is natural law.
The obvious situation that parents must be healthy, secure, and at peace in order to provide a good life and happiness for their children.
Advocacy for non-intervention of the agents and powers of the state in family separation issues. Non-violence and responsible solution in family disputes.
If the state and courts must be involved than there must be fair and equal treatment for all parties regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic situation in maintenance and financial resolutions and have all voices heard.
All parties deserve adequate and balanced representation, mediation, and fair treatment by the judicial system with the goal of shared parenting.
Holding accountable the agents of state involved in families to the very standards of legislation and rhetoric they espouse.
The concept that the best parent is both parents because research and outcomes has shown this to be true*.
*As all scientific research worldwide shows that equal parenting is in the best interest of the child, we support equal parenting by default, on deviate by exceptions. Even in Canada the Report "For the sake of the children" concludes that shared parenting is the best solution for all.
Children need both mother and fathers significantly involved in their lives.
That Children should come first in all access disputes but not the only people involved.
Financial considerations must ensure both parents are able to be self-sufficient, build a new life, and care for their children in ways that result in health and happiness. That there should be balance in economic levels based on need and work that is fair and models important life principles to the children.should be fair for all children and parents
Fair and Equal treatment of debtors as well as Creditors in Maintenance & Financial disputes.
Both parents get their lives on track, participate and be productive members of society as that is in the best interest of the children.
Children love and care for both their parents and have no desire to have on or the other cut from their lives. Therefore ECMAS opposes the alienation of any parent from the other.
That divorce and separation can and should be handled with the most minimal involvement of the state and state agents as possible.
That all other avenues of resolution must be pursued to the greatest degree possible before the state judicial system is invoked and that once the courts become involved that people be empowered to handle their personal cases themselves as much as they can.
That the current family law system is fair, neutral, or serves the purpose of resolving conflict in ways that lead to peaceful and acceptable outcomes.
That only the interests of the children matter no matter the well being of parents, grandparents, or any others that have a stake in the future relationships with each other in caring for them.
That children raised by a single parent without the love and significant involvement of the other parent can have equal and as good an outcome in their lives.