Deadbeat dad’s employer helps him dodge payments

For the past 10 years, I have been trying to collect money from the father of my children.

Maintenance Enforcement of Nunavut had not provided me with any changes of information to my file. I had moved to another community and I went to Maintenance Enforcement here and they could not help me with any further investigation.

Maintenance Enforcement in the Northwest Territories can only deal with other Maintenance Enforcement offices, but they cannot investigate outside of their jurisdiction.

I know the father of my children has been working for the past five to six years and I remember him making only five payments in 10 years.

The reason I have not been receiving payments from him, is the company where he works has been hiding his salary from Maintenance Enforcement. This corporation has been paying a salary to the father of my children under a different name.

This is to avoid him paying maintenance. I have told the Maintenance Enforcement about this, but they have refused to investigate. I called the corporation about it and they said he had been working for them for a while. I explained that I’ve have not received any payment from him.

I would really appreciate if Maintenance Enforcement would get an investigating team, because they are supposed to be the enforcer.

I called Maintenance Enforcement about this and I was upset to hear someone say, “If you do not like how the system works you might as well close your file and go after the father yourself.”

This is why I am writing this letter to the editor. I am not the only person under these circumstances, I am doing this for my children and the mothers out there.

Sarah Papatsie
Yellowknife