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Adoption Disclosure Stalled
May 2, 2008 permalink
Ontario's new adoption disclosure law has been stalled in the legislature. Conservatives are using the lame argument that hiding adoption records will somehow stop child abuse. We present two bulletins from COAR and an article in the Orangeville Citizen showing that Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones and CAS Executive Director Trish Keachie both claim that children will be abused again by disclosure. In real cases, we haven't found one yet where an adopted adult fears being found by his mother.
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COAR Bulletin
April 25, 2008
Late today COAR learned that Bill 12 is scheduled for third reading on Monday April 28 at 3:30 p.m.
If the Bill passes third reading, it will become law. There will then be a waiting period while the government creates the application process, determines how this process will work exactly, and advertises the changes. After this waiting period, Ontario’s adult adoptees and their birth parents will be able to apply for the information we have wanted for so many years.
If you want to see the debate and vote, plan to be in the visitors’ gallery at Queen’s Park by 3:30 p.m. Simply go to the legislature and tell the guard that you want to watch the debate. S/he will give you a pass.
Let us hope that Ontario has a new adoption disclosure law by Monday evening.
In solidarity,
Michael Grand, mgrand@uoguelph.ca
Karen Lynn, ccnm@rogers.com
Wendy Rowney, wrowney@rogers.comThe COAR Coordinating Committee
COAR Update
April 28, 2008
Dear Friends,
Today in the Ontario legislature, Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services, introduced Bill 12 to third reading. We had hoped for passage of the bill today but it didn't happen. Instead, Norm Sterling delayed passage by going on at great length about an amendment that he wanted that had been declined by the government. He wanted an amendment that would provide for an automatic disclosure veto applied against birth parents who had previously abused their children. Madame Meilleur pointed out the obvious that we are talking about adults, not children, and that there was no evidence from BC or other provinces with similar laws to warrant such an amendment.
The debate will continue, but Madame Meilleur assured us that the government will soon restrict the length of time legislators can speak on the issue. We hope to tell you more in the near future about how and when Bill 12 will finally be passed.
In solidarity,
Michael Grand, mgrand@uoguelph.ca
Karen Lynn, ccnm@rogers.com
Wendy Rowney, wrowney@rogers.comThe COAR Coordinating Committee
May 1, 2008
Jones says revised adoption bill endangers abused children
By DAN PELTON Staff Reporter
Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones fears the provincial government's latest attempt to provide access to adoption records will open up the possibility of abused children being victimized again.
As the Progressive Conservative Community and Social Services critic, she introduced an amendment to the bill during a committee hearing that was aimed at ensuring that children who are abused, removed from the home and subsequently adopted, would be automatically protected from having their personal information disclosed to the abuser without the adoptee's consent.
The original intention of the Access to Adoption Records Act was to open up all adoption records in Ontario, so birth parents and adopted persons could find and contact each other.
It was challenged in court, however, and the court ruled that past adoption records could not be opened.
The revised bill states that previous records cannot be opened without the consent of all parties involved.
Records of future adoptions, on the other hand, can be disclosed once the adopted person reaches the age of 19.
Ms. Jones says she is puzzled by this apparent lack of protection for formerly abused adopted persons, noting that such a provision was in the original legislation.
"This was in the original Liberal bill. I think it's an oversight, but it's not in the bill now."
There is a provision that allows either the adopted person or the birth parents to effectively veto any contact by those applying to do so.
"In today's environment, if there is an adoptee taken as a ward of the court because of abuse, the adoptive parents will know of the abuse and can inform the child of the abuse," said Liberal MPP Liz Sandals, one of four Liberals whose votes defeated Ms. Jones' amendments at the hearing. "The adopted child can then vote for a no-contact order."
Trish Keachie, executive director of Dufferin Child and Family Services, sides with Ms. Jones on the issue. "Our concern is that, even if they are over 18 and choose not to reconnect, (the adopted person) will have their personal information disclosed. That can be disconcerting. They do have a choice, but it forces them to relive what they've gone through."
Source:two emails from COAR and Orangeville Citizen
