HUMA Committee Report

DISSENTING OPINION OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The committee heard from a number of witnesses who made recommendations that have been left out of the final report. 

The NDP feels that these recommendations are important to ensuring that children waiting for adoption have the best chance of finding their own permanent family.

The report, as submitted, does not acknowledge the costs to children, families and society of maintaining the status quo.

Of particular concern to the NDP members on the Committee was the situation of children in care, particularly First Nations children.

We also strongly support the need for adoptive parents to have sufficient time off from work to bond with their new child and believe our Employment Insurance system is one tool the federal government can use more effectively to support adoptive parents.

Therefore, in addition to the recommendations in the final report, we are including the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the federal government convene a federal/provincial/territorial meeting of ministers responsible for children and youth and Aboriginal leaders to begin a dialogue about the adoption crisis in Canada and to seek solutions that could be applied at different levels of government.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada propose a bill in order to establish an independent national child and youth commissioner responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Canada. The child and youth commissioner shall also be mandated to act as liaison with the Canadian Council of Provincial Child and Youth Advocates and report annually to Parliament.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the federal government take the necessary steps to eliminate the inequities between child welfare and family services available on reserve and services provided off reserve. As a first step, the federal government should enter into a dialogue with First Nations Child and Family Services Agencies, as well as provincial and territorial governments, to discuss the creation of a system to collect data on social services offered to children living on reserve and off reserve.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the federal government provide adequate funding for First Nations Child and Family Services Agencies and support prevention initiatives, social programs and early intervention services delivered to First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and their families.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the federal government undertake in 2013 a summative evaluation of the enhanced prevention-focused approach established in 2007 and make the results of this evaluation publicly available.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) examine the feasibility and the costs of creating a new benefit under the Employment Insurance Act that would offer 15 weeks of benefits to adoptive parents as a transitional leave to assist them in coping with the arrival of their adopted child or children and all the challenges that follow as they transition into an adoptive family. HRSDC should report its findings back to the Committee within six months of the release of the Committee’s report.

In conclusion, there are more than 70,000 Canadians children in care across Canada and as many as 30,000 of them may be available for adoption. The lack of a national database prevents anyone from knowing exact numbers.

Now is the time to take leadership and work with provinces, territories and First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments to improve the adoption process in Canada.

Respectfully submitted,