CIC not prioritizing adoption

CIC not prioritizing adoption

Tova Krause Grindlay, North Shore News

Published: Sunday, April 04, 2010

Dear Editor:

I am upset by a few aspects of your March 28 story Wrapped in Red Tape and Trapped in Africa with respect to Citizen and Immigration Canada's reaction to international adoption cases.

I have adopted two children in the recent past, one from Liberia and one from Swaziland. I dealt with the Canadian High Commission in Ghana in order to get the correct documentation for my daughter to come home. I, like Andrea Bastin, had difficulty in dealing with the CHC in Ghana and several adoptive families adopting from Ghana called for an internal review of the high commission -- to no avail.

My concerns are as follows: In every family's adoption through this CHC in Ghana that I am aware of, the reasons for a lengthy hold up in paperwork has been the suspicion of child trafficking. In your story, Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Joanne Nadeau is quoted referencing the issue of child trafficking. However, all IOM (International Organization for Migration) reports as well as U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports give every indication that child trafficking is an internal issue, more closely linked to child slavery practices on Lake Volta. If Nadeau was really aware of the situation of adoption cases, she might want to read the reports done by internationally recognized bodies on the various countries in Africa before she uses a giant brush and broad strokes to explain the actions of CIC during adoption visa processes.

I suspect that Bastin's case is similar to ours when dealing with CIC, and that child trafficking is not the reason for withholding paperwork allowing these children entrance into Canada, but poor communication, lack of accountability of high commission practices abroad and discrimination within CIC towards children adopted by Canadian citizens.

In May of 2006 Stephen Harper stated that CIC would make adoption files a top priority, and yet I personally have been told by two visa officers in two different CHCs in Africa that my child's file is being issued no priority. Within the CIC handbook (section 5.20) it cites that adopted children should be given highest priority because often their living conditions are less than ideal. I have yet to be received at a CHC abroad with anything resembling courtesy, compassion or support.

I think that the Canadian government has forgotten that by the time we adoptive families arrive at our CHC, these children are legally our children. We have bonded and attached. To be faced with fighting our own government to gain entrance for our legal children is shameful and appalling.

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Andrea Bastin and all adopting families who are currently battling CIC for the right to be a family in Canada.

Tova Krause Grindlay

Vancouver

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