In what circumstances have courts found a mother guilty of parental alienation and/or found her to be in contempt and ordered a sanction of costs to indemnify the father for all costs of the proceedings?

Like the present case, Van de Veen v. Van de Veen (2001), 300 A.R. 361, 2001 ABQB 753 involved parental alienation at the hands of the mother. Veit J. found the mother in contempt and ordered a sanction of costs to indemnify the father for all costs of the proceedings. She observed (as Martin J. did in this case) that normal sanctions for contempt were unsatisfactory as they would punish not only the mother but also the children. The circumstances there precluded transferring the children to the custody of their father and, although warranted, jailing the mother would harm the children and their possible eventual relationship with their father. Fining the mother would deprive the children of her financial support. The punitive costs awarded were in addition to the award of costs already made, and both awards were deducted from the mother’s share of the matrimonial property.