Testimonial | Know my origins before it’s too late

I am a 59 year old woman who was adopted during my early childhood. I have always wanted to know who my biological parents are. A law allowing the identity of natural parents to be revealed was passed in 2017. But it contains restrictions that prevent me from obtaining an answer to my identity quest.

Posted November 12

Hyacinth Butcher

Hyacinth Butcher
Repentigny

Indeed, the current law prohibits Social Services from disclosing to me the names of my mother – because she objected to having her name disclosed – of my father, whose paternity is not “official”, and of my older sibling.

A brand new law, which was passed on June 7, 2022, will allow me to finally know the identity of all my family of origin. I commend the government for having greatly relaxed the disclosure rules, but this new law will not be in force until June 8, 2024, two full years after it was passed!

The government says it needs 24 months to modify computer systems, change some procedures and inform employees. I am convinced that the minor adjustments that need to be made absolutely do not require two years of work. This delay is far too long for all adoptees, but even more so for those who are very old or who suffer from a serious illness, which is my case.

I have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and I know my days are unfortunately numbered. I have already exceeded by one year the life expectancy that was announced to me during the diagnosis and I had a stroke recently. So I have a Damocles sword hanging over my head.

Will I be able to know the names of my biological parents during my lifetime? Probably not. Unless the government speeds up the implementation of bill noh 2 which was passed last June.

I am not the only adopted person who is seriously ill or very old. On behalf of all adopted persons, I ask the Government of Quebec to step up the pace and make the new law applicable by June 2023. I am sure that with a little goodwill and common sense of the organization, this would be very easily achievable. I want to know my origins…before it’s too late.


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