“Fathers are not disposable!” Thus Christian-conservative activist Faytene Grasseschi, executive director of For My Canada, in today’s special Fathers’ Day edition of Hannaford.Well, who said they were? Actually, quite a few people.In Hollywood it’s a mainstream idea – Jennifer Aniston, pumping her film about artificial insemination told an interviewer, “Women are realizing it more and more knowing that they don’t have to settle with a man just to have that child.” Media psychologist Dr. Peggy Drexler wrote the best-selling, ‘Raising Boys Without Men: How Maverick Moms Are Creating the Next Generation of Exceptional Men.’ And as many divorced men in Canada have learned the hard way, the law is not on the side of fathers… not even the good ones..“Fathers are not disposable,” says Ms. Grasseschi. “When the couple unit is intact and dads are present, engaged, and loving, children thrive and society benefits. The data is unambiguous: single-mother households, while often doing heroic work under difficult circumstances, show disproportionately higher rates of child poverty. The presence of a committed father dramatically changes those outcomes for the better.”.Her message is clear and data-driven. She points to official statistics from the Public Health Agency of Canada, which states positive father involvement is strongly associated with better outcomes for children, including improved cognitive development, reduced depression, lower rates of adolescent substance abuse, greater independence, better overall health, and reduced delinquency. “These are not opinions – they are government-verified facts.”Yet, she says, governments at all levels are failing fathers. Custody laws too often sideline good dads who meet their obligations. Schools increasingly tell fathers that what their children are taught is “none of your business.” In one disturbing British Columbia case, a father was jailed for trying to protect his child from a rushed sex-change procedure pushed by his ex-wife. These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a broader cultural and legal devaluing of fatherhood..Ms. Grasseschi points out a sad irony: while Public Health Agency documents celebrate the importance of dads, government policies and court decisions often treat them as optional.Also, it doesn’t help that cultural narratives in media frequently portray fathers as bumbling idiots, further undermining their authority and confidence. Add to this heavy taxation that penalizes single-income families (where one parent – often the mother – stays home,) and it becomes clear that whatever the supportive comments, government policy frequently works against strong, intact families.The consequences extend far beyond individual households. Weak families produce weaker communities and, ultimately, a weaker nation. As Ms. Grasseschi put it, when kids do better, nations do better..The good news is that change is possible. Ms. Grasseschi encourages men not to dwell on past shortcomings but to step up from this moment forward – to be present, protective, providing, and blessing their children.She also called on women to champion strong fatherhood in their homes and communities, and on governments to remove obstacles through fairer custody laws, parental rights protections, and tax policies like income splitting that support traditional families.Says Faytene, “This Father’s Day, let us honour the fathers who show up every day. Their role is irreplaceable. The most important thing most men will ever do is to be good dads. Society must stop treating that role as optional and start treating it as essential.”Watch the full interview on Hannaford. It will be uploaded at 10:00 o'clock.And this from Faytene Grasseschi: “To all the fathers watching: thank you. Your presence matters more than you know.”
