Ontario
C.O.A.R, the Coalition for Open Adoption Records, is comprised of members of the adoption community who believe that adoption records in Ontario must be opened now. As an inclusive group, we seek your input and endorsement of the campaign to open adoption records now.
We have supported a number of bills to open records to adult adoptees and birth parents.
The bill includes a no-contact notice. Filing one would mean that the individual receiving identifying information would commit in writing not to contact the birth relative who requested a no-contact notice. This also means that individuals who violate a no-contact notice may be fined up to $50,000.
The “Fact Sheet” contains many contradictions, errors and misrepresentations used to justify a disclosure veto in Bill 183, Ontario’s Adoption Information Act that is planned to reach third reading in the legislature this fall.
Bill 14 would give adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates and birth parents of adult adoptees access to the adoptee's amended birth certificate subject to a contact veto. The penalty for contact despite a filed veto is set at $10,000.
The Legislature may remain in session up to June 23, 2005. There is still time to contact your MPP and ask them to support these bills.
During the 2003 election we ran a survey to gather input from candidates about their feelings on open records. You can also view the voting history of re-elected MPPs on opening adoption records.
COAR is preparing information about the service of the Adoption Disclosure Registry to submit to the Ombudsman. If you are an Ontario adoptee and have applied to the Adoption Disclosure Registry (ADR), please fill out our survey.
Please stay tuned to this site for updates and information on how you can help.
Michael Grand | Wendy Rowney | Karen Lynn | ||
grand@psy.uoguelph.ca | wrowney@hotmail.com | ccnm@rogers.com |
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