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.

Merry Christmas Message: What's happening in the New Year...

An In-The-Trenches Sociological Experience

I've always said that a powerful combination occurs with in-the-trenches direct experience and formal education. As a sociologist, my sociology training has honed and fine tuned many areas of my natural abilities into expertise ~ when it comes to investigations and identifying serious social issues. Serious social issues include, but are not limited to:

• Institutional Racism
• Power imbalances
• Corruption in organizations who continue to practice:
• overt, modern-day oppression
• bias 
• coersive control 

These overt systematic and deep seeded cultural practices in Institutions are focused on marginalized people, particularly Indigenous people (as occurs in my investigative case).

Yours Truly, Sheila Wanite Bautz with 

an Introduction & Seasoned Greeting...

Serious Issues with Family Law in Saskatchewan, Canada

Currently, I am continuing to address many serious issues occurring with Family Law in the court system in Saskatchewan, Canada. Why let all this evidence and research go to waste? In my case, the dynamics of what is happening in Saskatchewan courtrooms, I circulated to the highest court in Canada. As such, I provided research and information in my factums for the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal (2020) and the Supreme Court of Canada (2021, 2022). My advocacy delves into the dynamics of bias and law, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence (Intimate Partner Violence IPV), coersive control and parental alienation ~ to name some of them. Life, or fate, ensured that I directly experienced it all and I gathered the evidence as a covert participant. 

Covert Participant Observations

In 2016, I was thrust into a situation with a family matter that provided the unwelcomed opportunity to experience being cast into a position where I could make Covert Participant Observations. Although there are certain criteria for Covert Participant Observations in Sociology (as explained in the image below) in my case, there are a couple differences with my investigative situation. They include, but are not limited, to:

1. I was, and continue to be, very transparent. Everyone involved knew I was fine tuning my investigative abilities (certifications) and was being educated as a Sociologist. Everyone. However, people are generally unaware of exactly what Sociologists can do. 
2. Sociologists also study the law, history, psychology, criminology, threat patterns and court cases. This proved to be highly beneficial in my case.
3. Sociologists are analytical, esp the investigative types have a strong intuition and instincts, sensing and knowing where to look, when to advance and when to retract.
4. I have a lot of experience investigating corruption, as I lost my rookie status after exposing work-related fatalities in the early 2000s. I compiled various credible evidence and statements, pressed criminal charges and attained thee 'smoking gun': a direct admission of fault on company letter head.
5. I have a background working in government (in my 20's).
6. I have never been dishonest nor unethical, and have acquired the direct dialogues and on record statements through avenues such as certified court transcripts and evidence filed with the courts.
7. I. keep. everything.

Losing My Rookie Status: Back in Time For a Moment...

In 2005, I was still in investigative rookie status... and lost it. Picture it. Melfort. Saskatchewan. Canada. Law office. After a great deal of investigative work dealing with work-place fatalities in Canada, I took my evidence to a lawyer in pursuit of justice. His name was Mr. Kapoor. 

Initially, Mr. Kapoor told me not to waste his time due to the legal restrictions in Canada. I challenged him on his opinion, as I had a smoking gun: a direct admission of fault on company letter head from a major oil company.  

"Show me your smoking gun," he said with cool calculation.

I did. He read it. He looked at me.

He said as much to himself as to me, "What else do you have in that box? Show me." 

I opened my tickle trunk and kept handing him reports, facts and documented statements. I handed him the official criminal charges I managed to have pressed against one company. He examined my face thoughtfully.

Mr. Kapoor concluded, as if thinking aloud, "A woman with little education, trained as a secretary, seeks justice for her late husband's death and finds this... What could you do with training? Go back to University. Don't waste your mind." 

... I listened...

Music Video Credit: Pitbull, "Back In Time"

Picture it. 2018. Saskatoon. Saskatchewan. Court of Queen's Bench, at that time. Years of hell. Years of managing domestic violence and a RCMP investigation into child abuse committed by an admitted abusive man who on court record stated he attended a year long abusive men's program ~ and then some... Stay tuned for the REST of the story...

Lady Sociology On The Web🕷🕸

 Good Evening Everyone,

This is my first blog post to introduce my sociology blog, Lady Sociology. Here you shall discover advocacy, "Fun Facts", legal articles, investigative/research tips, links to important studies and credible resources, and all sociology and law-related information. 

Introductions...

First, I am a Lady, a Scholar, a Writer and an Authoress with a knack for investigating. Second, I received my formal education ~  dual Honours BAs in Sociology & English ~ with the University of Saskatchewan. Third, as of this writing dear reader, I am also a Writing Instructor & Tutor with First Nations University of Canada. Fourth, my published articles, research essays, books (including a True Crime/Expose on work-related deaths in Canada entitled "Walking The Cutline: When Companies Kill"), and other information sharing, extends over the last couple decades. 

I have advocated for women and children, particularly Indigenous women, suffering from various abuses, such as child abuse and domestic violence with an appeal to the highest legal level with the Supreme Court of Canada. I assure you, I have a lot of informative, reputable information to share and general information on how corrupt organizations work to reveal to you. Always with the public's best interests in mind.

Human Rights is a passion of mine.

Thank you for visiting my Sociology blog. I shall be sharing a great deal of research ~ including resource links ~ and direct experiences with you, including my in the trenches advocacy.

Love from,

Lady Sociology