OTTAWA – New Democrat Immigration Critic Olivia Chow has written a letter to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney asking him to allow adopted Haitian children, who have been approved by Haitian Social Services and are known to Canadian officials, home to their new Canadian families immediately
while the adoption process is completed.

Chow’s request is not unprecedented. The Netherlands has been airlifting adopted children from Haiti to their Dutch families, and the United States is temporarily allowing Haitian orphans into the United States to receive care.

Dear Minister Kenney:

I urge you today to commit to bringing adopted Haitian children home to their new families immediately.

I understand the need for due diligence, preventing child trafficking should always be a priority. However, these children have been through this process, they have been approved by Haitian Social Services. They are known to us, and should be brought to their parents where they will be safe while the rest of the adoption process is completed.

In bringing home only the approximately twenty children who have completed the adoption process, you are abandoning the remaining children awaiting approval for release from Haiti. I urge you to ask President Préval to give approval for the remaining adopted children to be sent to their new homes in Canada. The Netherlands have already received such approval, Canada must do the same.

These children have been through too much, their parents have waited for too long. I urge you to bring these children home immediately, where they can be safe in their parent’s arms while the remainder of the adoption process is completed.

I am thankful for your consideration, and I am hopeful that you will do what is right for the children and their new families.

Sincerely,

Olivia Chow, M.P. Trinity-Spadina