Many of us are programmed to aspire to greatness, pushing forward, trying to earn more and build savings and plan for retirement. We gain an education, we earn respect in an industry, and we happen into a relationship. We have kids. It's expected from us. The foreplay to having kids may not be exactly the same for everyone but for many they end up here, having kids, being a mother or father. This is society's ideal place to be, but it doesn't always work.
Divorce... Child Support... These factors are expected and planned for. It's ok, you have your dream job, good money and everything is running well. The CS is set to the prescribed levels, you're within the guidelines and while you're doing ok, money is tight. The car you bought before the break up was a waste of funds and went back, penalty and all. The debts from the marriage have gone through bankrupcy, but things are going to be fine.
The job was great, the money was good, but the company closed and you are now looking for work. The CS remains in place, a tough commitment with no funds coming in. Your ex was always willing to negotiate when the money went up. She is not so understanding of the decrease, you take a job to make ends meet. It will pay about 40% of what you earned, but there's a ramp up time. You're progressing well, $30K seems almost reasonable.
You're being introduced to the FRO. Your wife was not understandable and opted into the government CS enforcement system (FRO), an unwelcome surprise.
The FRO wants you to pay CS at the level you had agreed to when the support order was assembled, the guideline amount, but the guideline amount is 90% of your earnings. In truth it was well over your earnings for the last 4 months so the arrears is now several thousand dollars. The FRO's tactics are playing out with garnishment of wages through your employer. They are paying 50% of your paycheque to the FRO. Your paycheque is not the after-taxes amount of most workers, it includes repayment of fuel costs, uniform, and tool costs. Half of everything goes to the FRO, but you owe taxes too, you owe for rent, food, transportation to see your daughters. All of these things are irrelevant to the FRO.
You are expected to pay the full bill, the only way out is to adjust the amount through an agreement with your ex. If you can't come to an arrangement through face-to-face negotiation, your only option is court. Court will cost you, if you're completely destitute a legal-aid lawyer is possible. There's no hope if you're employed. Lawyers do not extend credit in Canada. There's some reason for this I'm not familiar with but you'll need a retainer of at least $1500 to get things started. A Decent lawyer will cost you $300/hour, a cheap lawyer is cheap for a reason.
Pay More, Earn Less... The system expects you to pay more than you rightfully owe, do nothing about it, blind to the fact that you earn less. It may not be a conscious decision on the part of government but the system is destroying people, families. The system is forcing good fathers into a position where they are certain to fail. Desperate, fathers do what they can to escape the pressures. Some don't handle it as well as others. Blame and animosity arise and if the mixture is right the children lose their fathers forever.
BTW: The CP can quit her job and walk away from a very lucrative position with no repercussions. NCPs are subject to imputed income that re-enforces the pressure to succeed and earn the same or better money year-after-year.