Sunday, September 30, 2007

Rick Morelli, New Democratic Party, Vaughan

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

In a word - yes.

Cathy Galt, Progressive Conservative Party, Northumberland-Quinte West

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

Yes, but the law should not be retroactive in my personal opinion. People who gave their children up for adoption in the past did so with the assurance that their identity would be kept confidential. If a program is made available that encourages them to contact their child (such as we currently have on line, I understand), and share health history and other valuable information, then the option is there for them to change their mind in later years. I feel a law passed now to give adoptees the right to have identifying information is necessary, but should only pertain to adoptions after the passage of the legislation.

Miriam Stucky, Green Party, Peterborough

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

Yes.

Katy Austin, New Democratic Party, Simcoe-Grey

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

Yes

Comments: An adopted adult should be able to find out about her or his origins, but must also be willing to respect the privacy of his/her biological parents if those parents choose to not make contact. I speak here from persnal experience, which I hope you will respect as well.

Ray Scott, Family Coalition Party, Algoma-Manitoulin

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

To your specific question, the answer is Yes. Adopted adults should know about their heritage, and particularly need to know about the medical histories of their birth parent's families.

If you were to ask if adopted adults should be able to find out specifically who their birth parents are, against the birth parents' wishes, my answer is No.

My party is a pro-life party. A mother giving a child for adoption might consider anonymity necessary in her decision to not abort. Having to disclose her identity in the future could result in her deciding to abort rather than bring a child to term. That is why the Family Coalition Party must be opposed to full identify disclosure if it were against the birth parents' wishes.

Leonard Poole, Green Party, Ottawa-Vanier

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

I'm not sure

Comments:
It is essential, in my view, that all individuals have access to information about their origin that are required for their health care. However, although I respect that adoptive individuals may have strong emotional and/or psychological reasons for learning more about their birth parents, such parents may also have similarly strong emotional and/or psychological reasons to remain anonymous. Perhaps it should be required that birth parents be required to provide specific health information. Ultimately, though, unless I can be convinced otherwise, I believe that a birth parents desire to remain anonymous must also be considered.

Dawn Kannegiesser, Green Party, Thunder Bay-Superior North

Should an adopted adult have the same rights to identifying information about his or her origins as all non-adopted adults?

I'm not sure. I think there are many issues involved here. Obviously, there are numerous emotional issues around discovering your origins and some people truly yearn to reconnect with their biological roots. However, oftentimes the reasons people give children up for adoption can be difficult wounds to open. I think there may need to be timelines around when someone can access this information, but otherwise I think that adopted adults should have access to this information. There may be significant medical information that an adopted adult should have privy to.