Mr. Speaker, international adoptions must always protect the safety and well-being of the children, as well as comply with the laws of both countries.
Harmonizing these laws can be challenging, but the Harper Conservatives did not conduct enough consultations to make sure the provinces and territories, which are responsible for adoption, were on board with the moratorium. They went ahead and cancelled all adoptions from Pakistan, without taking into consideration the generosity of Canadians who wanted to sponsor.
We have asked the department to initiate a review of this policy, with the intent to institute a fairer process.