Stephen McNeil hopes for national support in deadbeat parent crackdown

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil wants national support to deal with dead-beat parents who flee to other jurisdictions rather than pay court-ordered child support.

"There are too many parents who have not been fully paying their child support​," McNeil said Monday. ​"There's issues of people leaving one jurisdiction to another."

• Vrege Armoyan sentenced to four years in prison on contempt charge
• Child support enforcement not working for many, says advocate
• 'Deadbeats' across Canada owe more than $3.7B in support

​The topic is in the spotlight again after a Nova Scotia judge issue​d a warrant for the arrest of a Halifax developer who was found guilty of failing to pay $1.7-million dollars in child and spousal support. Vrege Armoyan left the country when his contempt of court order trial began in April. He faces a four-year prison sentence.

​McNeil says his government is looking to tighten up the rules to force those who shirk their responsibilities to pay up. ​

"It's one of the reasons why we're looking at what we can do internally in our province, and it's one of the reasons I'll be raising it nationally​", the premier said.

He said he is "looking for support to ensure that when the courts deem that a parent is to pay child support, that that child support is collected and is distributed to their children."
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Fleeing the country would ​still be a way out, but going away to another province shouldn't be, McNeil said.

"Parents have a responsibility to raise their children, whether or not they get along is up to them. But when you bring a child into this world together, you have a responsibility to look after that child. And what we're saying is when the courts deem how much your child support should be, we expect you to pay it," he said.