Nov.24, 2010
To the Hon. Jason Kenney,
I have been writing many letters to you in regards to our children, M---- and M----, who currently reside in Haiti. I have received two emails since the start of my letters; One from James T----n from the Ottawa Haiti Processing Office and one from Jane Burton with the Ministerial Enquires Division. Both letters have confirmed what I already know, and have known since the start of the year, that: “Operation Stork was a joint agreement between the Canadian and Haitian Governments, where the Haitian Government gave their permission to allow children, who were matched with their Canadian adoptive parents prior to the earthquake in January 2010, to be processed in Canada under special immigration measures.”
I understand that typically CIC does not get involved in the adoption process itself, and that the earthquake was very special circumstances. What I am having trouble with, is why, when post earth quake Haiti is in a much worse situation now with the Cholera epidemic, our Canadian government is not doing all they can on a federal level to try to help the very few (possibly even only 3-4) existing families in process who have received their match?
CBC reports:
"This today is the most urgent crisis Haiti is facing,"
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/11/23/cholera-haiti.html#ixzz16G80SjtI
Another CBC article states:
“Ten months after the earthquake, the humanitarian response "appears paralyzed," says Refugee International.”
“Experts I respect have urged the need for some form of international mandate to protect Haiti, basically from its own corrupt leadership and lack of governance, until some workable security and legal system can be established. Who owns title to a piece of land? How is housing zoned? Where does one appeal an injustice? To these questions there is still no answer.”
"Cholera is a game changer in the most fundamental sense," says Melinda Miles of the Let Haiti Live Group. "It is an immediate and critical crisis that requires all hands on deck in response.”
PLEASE Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/11/24/f-vp-stewart.html#ixzz16G1MUOeD
If what is being reported is true, CIC should be taking a very long look at those files currently in Haiti that were started before the quake.
I have accumulated the following questions and have compiled them into this one letter for your ease of response:
1. Why is CIC not doing all they can, by entering into a similar discussion as post quake with the Haitian authorities, on this matter of children who are in the adoption process with Canadian families in this time of crisis?
2. We understand that IBESR, Haitian Social Services, was never 'closed' after the earthquake of Jan.12, 2010. They were in fact operational and working outside of their collapsed building during and after the time of Operation Stork. The Haitian adoption system bounced back considerably fast in the circumstances. It was always the understanding of the public based on CIC releases and press coverage, that CIC was using Operation Stork to remove the children from the threats created by the quake. Are you now saying that this was not the case? If it was the case, why won’t you approach the Haitian government once again considering the conditions are far worse now, and continue to worsen, than they were post quake?
3. What flagged CIC into action post quake? Was it letters from concerned adoptive parents, or that the process was already being executed by Haiti and other governments including France, Netherlands and the USA? If it was the urgency of the situation itself, why is CIC not attempting to act now, considering the situation in every sense in Haiti is so much worse?
4. During the aftermath of the earthquake, upon inquiring about CIC's initial notices regarding Operation Stork in regards to families who had adoptions in process, I was informed by Minister Kenney's special assistant, Sean O----, via telephone that CIC would not leave behind any families in process, and that first priority would be given to families who had been matched with children, but that the government would not turn their back on families whose adoptions were already underway. What has made CIC change their position on helping 'all families in process' of adoption in the aftermath of the quake?
Thank you for your time in answering these questions. All we want to know is that our Canadian government has done everything they can for our children. By not having at least a discussion on this matter with the Haitian authorities, we will never know if something more could be done. If the Haitian authorities do not want their children removed prematurely, then we must respect that, but we implore you to at least approach the Haitian government or we will never know. Please do not turn your backs on these kids and their Canadian families.
Sincerely,
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