Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada recognizes the significant and lasting impact that forced adoption had on individuals and families across Canada and has formally acknowledged the work of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology’s on the 2018 report, “The Shame Is Ours: Forced Adoptions of the Babies of Unmarried Women in Post-War Canada”.
Since the time period reviewed in the Senate report, legal protections have been put in place to ensure that forced adoptions can no longer take place. As the separation of children from their parents has been found to violate section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the right to security of the person, any forced separation of a child and parent must comply with the principles of fundamental justice. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Canada has been a party since 1991, also provides that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except where competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child.
The Government of Canada is also a signatory to the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. These conventions, through principles and agreed standards, contribute to the objective of protecting the rights of women and children in Canada and around the world. The Government of Canada remains committed to upholding the principles enshrined in these conventions through our ongoing efforts to support women and children in Canada. This includes working with provinces and territories through the Continuing Committee of Officials on Human Rights, which is the principal intergovernmental body responsible for consultation and collaboration among governments in Canada with respect to international human rights treaties.
In addition to these legal protections, the Government of Canada is committed to improving supports for women, children and families including those for mental health. The government continues to work to ensure mental health services are accessible to Canadians. Budget 2023 provides $25 billion over 10 years to provinces and territories to both address and integrate mental health and substance use health across shared priorities from family health services to improved data collection/sharing. This investment will build on the budget 2017 investments, which include $2.4 billion from 2023-24 to 2026-27 to flow to provinces and territories for mental health and addictions services. Combined, these investments will help improve access to care, reduce harms, prevent overdose, reduce stigma and help save lives.
The Government of Canada continues to collaborate with advocates and other levels of government on this important issue, and to ensure that those impacted by forced adoption are supported and that these practices do not occur again.