In Quebec, there are three possible methods of adoption, depending on the child's country of origin. There is the process whereby a child is adopted from a country that has ratified The Hague Convention. There is also a scenario where the adoption is finalized abroad, before the child arrives. And finally, there are cases where the adoption is finalized only once the parents have demonstrated that they are good parents by undergoing certain assessments, and that they have abided by the conditions and criteria in effect in those countries, which is the case with countries such as Thailand and the Philippines.
First of all, can you provide us with figures regarding the countries of origin of adopted children? What proportion of children are adopted in countries that have ratified the Convention, and what proportion are adopted in other countries? In what percentage of cases is the adoption finalized abroad, and in what percentage of cases does that occur only once the child has arrived in Canada? Could you also explain in detail how this is going to work?
The minister assured us that this bill had been fully reviewed by the Government of Quebec. And yet no one seems to know what the final process will entail. We don't know at what point information will be exchanged with the provinces, given that they have jurisdiction over international adoptions. Do you have any material in that regard that you could provide us?