The King's Chamber of Secrets: Family Law & Courts in Saskatchewan

When it comes to Domestic Violence, Child Custody and the Saskatchewan Courts, skepticism is prevalent for those who have directly experienced the state of affairs within the King's Chamber of Secrets. Culture has a lot to do with it. In courtly fashion, it's time to start opening some files and discover what really happens between the sheets of evidence in Saskatchewan. In this article, I provide information on:

• The reality behind the family law ideology projectile
• An educational moment on culture
• The need to understand the importance of culture in any organization and/or Institution
• Federal & provincial family law & policies continue to be ignored
• A link to the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) with a collection of articles on domestic violence and the court in the news

The Reality Behind The Family Law Ideology Projectile

Workin' on reportin' about the F*ckery Department, DIV 698 of 2013, please hold...
Photo Source: Unknown & appears Generic

In 2021, the Canadian federal government and the Saskatchewan government infused updated laws and amendments to Family Law. To the general public, the legal arenas and government bodies are infamous for promoting an ideology about how the judicial system and courts will deal with family violence. They tell the public what they want to hear, yet their actions are the true mirror of what lies behind in the family chamber of secrets. Court orders show the true intent of family court, which is aligned with their peers and hidden from public eyes and ears.

You can "modernize" any "act" you want, but those who sit in positions of power have no obligation to oblige to those laws. Many prefer tradition, a set colonial culture, in the courtroom. Culture can take generations to change, literally.

“Well, you see here, Miss Virginia Wolf, this is my courtroom and I will rule as I like. I make my own law here, Little Lady. I shall decide who bends over and who doesn't, for I am King. Careful, or I'll give you a room with no view in the year 2022."

Traditions, 19th Century style, have survived and risen...

An Educational Moment On Culture...

Oxford Bibliographies (Source) defines culture as: 

• The symbolic-expressive dimension of social life. 

• The term “culture” can mean the cultivation associated with:
• “civilized” habits of mind;
• the creative products associated with the arts;
• or the entire way of life associated with a group. 

• Among sociologists, “culture” just as often refers to the beliefs that people hold about:
• reality;
• the norms that guide their behavior;
• the values that orient their moral commitments;
• or the symbols through which these beliefs, norms, and values are communicated.

Source: Steensland, 2011. Sociology of Culture 

The Need To Understand The Importance of Culture In Any Organization &/or Institution

Culture matters and the need to understand the importance of culture in any organization &/or Institution is required to result in logical, reasonable solutions. In sociology, culture is categorized as material and non-material. Here is a simple breakdown on both:

1. nonmaterial culture defines a society or social group with their collective:

• values
• beliefs
• symbols
• language

2. material culture consists of the group/society’s physical objects, such as:

• tools & technology
• clothing
• eating utensils
• means of transportation 

Source: The Elements of Culture

Diagram Source: Unknown and appears Generic

The following information is from a great article about company culture, written by Michael D. Watkins, a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change. His article on the 10 attributes of culture that make it so difficult to change is applicable to various sub-cultures, such as family cultures and Institutional cultures. Here are the 10 attributes of culture he lists:

1. Culture is 'how we do things here'. "If behaviors don't change, culture doesn't change". 
2. Culture acts as a control system - for better and worse. "Behavioral norms must be upheld."
   
3. Culture is powerfully shaped by incentives. "How people get status, recognition, etc." 
4. Culture helps people 'make sense' of what is going on. Collective and "collaborative process of creating shared identity."
5. Culture is an essential source of shared identity. "Culture is about ‘the story’ of the organization and the values that reinforce the narrative." 
6. Culture is the organizational equivalent of the human immune system. "Culture is a form of protection that has contributed to organizational survival. It prevents ‘wrong thinking’ and ‘wrong people’ from entering the organization in the first place." 
7. Organizational culture is shaped by societal culture.
8. Organizational culture always is multi-layered.
9. Organizational cultures are dynamic.
10. Culture is resilient: "for precisely the reasons cultures can be so powerful, they are difficult to change." 

Source: Watkins, 2021. 10 attributes of culture that make it so difficult to change

Federal & Provincial Family Laws & Policies Continue To Be Ignored

Federal and provincial laws and policies on family law, child abuse and domestic violence continue to be blatantly ignored in the Saskatchewan legal arena. If no one opens the door to provide a clear view of a room with no view, it can also be dismissed and remain covert with a great deal of damage resulting. Apprehended truths, proof and evidence cuffed and stuffed, are ordered into lock down. The three S’s metaphorically apply, and in the case of domestic violence, may become a reality: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up.

Where’s the key? Ask me. I’ll even provide tea, like 19th Century energy to reveal the culture of Saskatchewan courtrooms... 

To read more articles on Domestic Violence and Family Court, visit PATHS: Work In The Media.

Sheila Bautz is a dual Honours BA Scholar, with Major 1 in Sociology & Major 2 in English with the University of Saskatchewan. She was selected to represent the U of S for World Class Day, an International opportunity to present her research. She is also an International Golden Key Member by invitation, an organization that honours the top 15% academically. Sheila's published writing portfolio is robust and includes articles and true crimes/exposes. She is currently writing an Epic Fantasy Series for Austin Macauley International Publishers with offices in New York, London, Cambridge and Sharjah.

Sources:

Steensland, Brian. 27 July 2011. "Sociology of Culture." Oxford University Press.

University of Minnesota. 8 April 2016. "Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World."

Watkins, Michael D. 18 November 2021. "10 attributes of culture that make it so difficult to change - especially when workers aren't in the office". Institute for Management Development, Team Building.