ADOPTION ACT REVIEW FINAL REPORT August 22, 2018 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction and Background ....................................................................................................................... 9 Reasons for Consultation ............................................................................................................................ 11 Changing Canadian Norms and Calls for Opening Records on PEI ......................................................... 11 Focus on Historic Adoptions vs Future ................................................................................................... 11 Historical Context of Adoptions on PEI ....................................................................................................... 12 Influence of Societal Norms and Social Services Programming in Post-War Era (1950-1970) ............... 12 Legislative History ................................................................................................................................... 18 Characteristics of Current Adoption Act and its Administration ................................................................ 20 Services Currently Available at Post-Adoption Services ......................................................................... 21 Current Canadian Context of Adoption Records (Jurisdictional Scan) ....................................................... 24 Identifying information ....................................................................................................................... 24 Veto ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Medical emergency – Medical information ........................................................................................ 25 Jurisdictional Scan Tables - Open Adoption Records* ............................................................................ 25 Judicial Consideration ............................................................................................................................. 32 Summary of Cheskes v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2007 O.J. no. 3515 (S.C.J) ..................................... 33 Parties and positions ........................................................................................................................... 33 Legal analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 36 Advisory Committee Processes ............................................................................................................... 36 Fundamental functions ....................................................................................................................... 36 Operating principles ............................................................................................................................ 37 Communications ................................................................................................................................. 37 Consultations .......................................................................................................................................... 38 Public consultations ............................................................................................................................ 38 Stakeholder consultations .................................................................................................................. 39 Private group and individual consultations ........................................................................................ 40 Written submissions ........................................................................................................................... 40 A note on public engagement ............................................................................................................. 40 Indigenous Engagement ......................................................................................................................... 41 Key Considerations ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Parties in an Adoption............................................................................................................................. 42 Lack of information or Clarity on Issues.................................................................................................. 44 Challenges to the Current system ........................................................................................................... 45 Small size of PEI ................................................................................................................................... 45 Social media searches ......................................................................................................................... 46 Inadvertent disclosure ........................................................................................................................ 47 Analytical Framework of Major themes ..................................................................................................... 48 Theme: Personal Trauma ............................................................................................................................ 49 2 Birth Mothers .......................................................................................................................................... 50 Adult Adoptees ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Theme: Access to Information .................................................................................................................... 53 1. Open Records - Right to Access Information ................................................................................. 54 A) Access to personal records ............................................................................................................ 55 B) Medical information ...................................................................................................................... 57 C) Find family connections ................................................................................................................. 58 D) Personal closure ............................................................................................................................. 59 2. Closed Records - Right to Privacy................................................................................................... 63 A) Right to privacy - no release of identifying information ................................................................ 64 B) No contact wanted......................................................................................................................... 66 C) Changing the contract .................................................................................................................... 68 Right to Privacy and Access to Information Continuum ............................................................................. 70 Theme: Mitigating Harm while Tipping the Balance .................................................................................. 71 Reducing Risk .......................................................................................................................................... 73 “PEI is Small” ....................................................................................................................................... 73 Risk of harm ........................................................................................................................................ 74 Caution when establishing policy: power (of loudest voices) ............................................................ 75 Gender and diversity analysis ............................................................................................................. 76 Special Circumstances (Sexual assault/Child apprehended) .................................................................. 77 Sexual assault ...................................................................................................................................... 78 Child apprehended .............................................................................................................................. 79 Offering Choice ....................................................................................................................................... 80 No Contact Options ................................................................................................................................. 81 Resources to Support change ................................................................................................................. 83 Making changes known through public education ............................................................................. 84 Personal support services ..................................................................................................................