Human Resources Committee on Dec. 2nd, 2010

[François Levert]

Of course, we're at the receiving end. When there are problems, that's where families or youths themselves will end up.

There is certainly no shortage of willingness on the part of the department to help out, namely through subsidized adoptions. The problem is when the needs become so complex that the expertise is not available within the province. Unfortunately, then we have to send some children out of province, even out of the country, to Maine namely, at the Spurwink Treatment Centre.

That is extremely costly for the province, from a financial perspective. Obviously it's costly for the family as well, in terms of emotional costs and even for transit back and forth. We're looking at an approximate cost of $500,000 per child that the province has to bear.

We are working in New Brunswick on a consultation for what we call a centre of excellence, and maybe I'll have time to elaborate through another question. We're looking at options in the way of reducing costs for keeping children with special needs in their communities, in their families, as much as possible. I think it's a well-known fact that the family environment is conducive to rehabilitation and successful treatment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Candice Bergen]

Thank you very much.

We'll now go to Madame Beaudin, please.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Good morning to you. Thank you for being here.

First I have a question for you, Mr. Levert. Can you tell us how many adoptions there were in New Brunswick this year, for example, and internationally?

[François Levert]

You want to know the number of adoptions? Yes, of course. Thank you for the question.

I have some figures that were provided to us by the department. Among young children, as it were, we're talking about 13 or 14 adoptions a year, on average. As for international adoptions, there is one interesting fact here. There was an 84% increase in the number of adoptions over last year, from 38 to 70. However, with respect to the mentioned cases of children with special needs, we're told that the figure rose from 284 to 309 among the youngest group and from 730 to 806 for children 12 years of age and over. Based on the figures we have, we cannot say at this time whether they were successfully placed or whether they are awaiting placement. Unfortunately, I can't provide a specific answer to that.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

So you have no post-adoption service to assess or monitor the children?

[François Levert]

There is a post-adoption service in the province. Of course, to my knowledge, those services operate relatively well, or very well, but in some instances where the children have special needs to which, for one reason or another, we cannot respond in the family context, once again for various reasons—

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

All right. I'm going to continue. The speaking time allotted to us is so short and I have another important question.

[François Levert]

Please go ahead.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Currently, as an adoptive parent, a person may claim a federal income tax credit for eligible expenses. You're aware of that?

[François Levert]

Of course.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

There is a credit for certain expenses actually related to the adoption, that is to say before and after: legal fees, travelling expenses, and so on. Would you like tax credits to apply to other expenses, such as all matters pertaining to post-adoption services, that is to say to help children with special needs, when parents have to call upon major professional resources? Would you like that to be added to what's already being offered by the federal government?

[François Levert]

Are you speaking to me?

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Yes, or perhaps Ms. Convery can answer me.

[Pat Convery]

Certainly that would be a huge benefit. Every province is looking at how we can provide post-adoption subsidies and trying to determine what they would look like. Something like that is a reasonable incentive. It would be wonderful for families to have incentives at the federal level.

[François Levert]

If I may add a response to that—

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Yes, yes.

[François Levert]

This may be more related to the parents, but it would also be good for there to be an investment in a strategy between the various levels of government. That would be allocated funding, and that's what I mentioned—

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

You would ultimately like there to be better cooperation with the federal government.

[François Levert]

That's it.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

All right, perfect.

Would you like adoptive parents to be considered on the same footing as biological parents and to be entitled to the same services? A number of people have requested the 15 additional weeks of parental leave and that maternity weeks be added as well, to make up 50 weeks even if it's only leave. Would you like that?

[Pat Convery]

Yes, it's discrimination for them not to have that.

[François Levert]

That would definitely be a measure that could make these parents, who are facing certain challenges, more effective in meeting their children's needs.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Perfect.

Do I have any time left?

[The Chair, Conservative, Candice Bergen]

You have less than one minute.

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

I need five.

I want to understand the adoption process in New Brunswick. Are there services? How does that work when a child can be adopted or when parents want to do it, on the one hand? On the other hand, when the children come from foster families, is leave already offered to adoptive parents or is that different from an international adoption, for example?