Senator Patrick Brazeau behind on child-support again, his son’s mother says
OTTAWA
— Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau is entangled in another dispute
over child-support payments with the mother of his teenaged son.
Dena Buckshot said Brazeau missed several payments over the summer and estimates that he is now more than $1,500 in arrears.
She says the Quebec government had told her that steps are being taken to garnish Brazeau’s wages from the Senate.
“I only received half child support for August and nothing for September,” Buckshot said. “As far as I know, the paperwork is in to garnish his wages.”
Brazeau says he stopped making the payments because he’s waiting for confirmation that his son is attending a post-secondary institution.
“I’m trying to find out if my 18-year-old is still going to school,” he said.
He is no longer obligated to pay support unless his son is enrolled in post-secondary education, Brazeau said, adding that it’s the mother’s responsibility to let him know the child is continuing his education.
“Until it is confirmed, we’ll see what happens.”
Brazeau also said he was unaware of any garnishment attempt.
Buckshot says her son studies in the CEGEP program at Heritage College in Gatineau and claims Brazeau is still obligated to pay $812 monthly.
Brazeau said he wasn’t aware his son was studying in the CEGEP until contacted by the Citizen.
Buckshot, a federal public servant, said she complained to the Quebec government’s maintenance program about missing payments and was told by a caseworker on August 6 that steps were being taken to begin garnishing Brazeau’s wages, a legal process that can take about two months.
A garnishment order requires an employer to deduct payments at source, before the wages are paid to the debtor.
Brazeau is supposed to make the payments to Revenue Quebec, which then deposits the funds into Buckshot’s account twice a month. She says she received no payments July 1st, August 1st or September 1st and only a partial payment on July 16th.
Buckshot said she didn’t know why Brazeau, who earns $132,300 annually from the Senate, did not appear to have made the $812 monthly payments.
Brazeau’s child with Buckshot is the result of a relationship in 1993. They both come from the Kitigan Zibi First Nation in nortwest Quebec.
Brazeau says he hasn’t seen his son since 2001.
He has sent occasional emails and gifts but the young man has no interest in having contact with his biological father, Buckshot said.
Shortly after Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him to the Senate in 2009, Brazeau made headlines for having missed child support payments that were then set at under $100 per month.
Buckshot went to court later that year to recoup arrears payments and have the monthly amount he pays increased, based on his new, higher income.
Brazeau said that his son, who is also First Nations, is eligible to receive bursaries to cover tuition, books and a $900 monthly living allowance while going to school.
These payments should be accounted for and the support payments adjusted accordingly, Brazeau said.
Brazeau serves on the Senate committees on aboriginal affairs and human rights. He is the youngest member of the Senate and can serve until 2049, when he turns 75.
Dena Buckshot said Brazeau missed several payments over the summer and estimates that he is now more than $1,500 in arrears.
She says the Quebec government had told her that steps are being taken to garnish Brazeau’s wages from the Senate.
“I only received half child support for August and nothing for September,” Buckshot said. “As far as I know, the paperwork is in to garnish his wages.”
Brazeau says he stopped making the payments because he’s waiting for confirmation that his son is attending a post-secondary institution.
“I’m trying to find out if my 18-year-old is still going to school,” he said.
He is no longer obligated to pay support unless his son is enrolled in post-secondary education, Brazeau said, adding that it’s the mother’s responsibility to let him know the child is continuing his education.
“Until it is confirmed, we’ll see what happens.”
Brazeau also said he was unaware of any garnishment attempt.
Buckshot says her son studies in the CEGEP program at Heritage College in Gatineau and claims Brazeau is still obligated to pay $812 monthly.
Brazeau said he wasn’t aware his son was studying in the CEGEP until contacted by the Citizen.
Buckshot, a federal public servant, said she complained to the Quebec government’s maintenance program about missing payments and was told by a caseworker on August 6 that steps were being taken to begin garnishing Brazeau’s wages, a legal process that can take about two months.
A garnishment order requires an employer to deduct payments at source, before the wages are paid to the debtor.
Brazeau is supposed to make the payments to Revenue Quebec, which then deposits the funds into Buckshot’s account twice a month. She says she received no payments July 1st, August 1st or September 1st and only a partial payment on July 16th.
Buckshot said she didn’t know why Brazeau, who earns $132,300 annually from the Senate, did not appear to have made the $812 monthly payments.
Brazeau’s child with Buckshot is the result of a relationship in 1993. They both come from the Kitigan Zibi First Nation in nortwest Quebec.
Brazeau says he hasn’t seen his son since 2001.
He has sent occasional emails and gifts but the young man has no interest in having contact with his biological father, Buckshot said.
Shortly after Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him to the Senate in 2009, Brazeau made headlines for having missed child support payments that were then set at under $100 per month.
Buckshot went to court later that year to recoup arrears payments and have the monthly amount he pays increased, based on his new, higher income.
Brazeau said that his son, who is also First Nations, is eligible to receive bursaries to cover tuition, books and a $900 monthly living allowance while going to school.
These payments should be accounted for and the support payments adjusted accordingly, Brazeau said.
Brazeau serves on the Senate committees on aboriginal affairs and human rights. He is the youngest member of the Senate and can serve until 2049, when he turns 75.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
4 comments:
Time for Trudeau to lay on another licking and maybe pump in a few smarts while he is at it.
This guy doesn`t know if his son is attending a post-secondary school or not??
My God , who hired this guy anyway.
Whoever it was must be as clueless as this Brazeau character.
Dr Mike Popovich
7Dead beat dad !
enough said !
MC
And to think that Brazeau was a recipient of an apology from Harper in Parliament regarding abuse of First Nations children.
http://totheroots.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/candad-harper-indians1.jpg?w=600
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