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This Haitian baby, named Claudia, is among 157 children from the earthquake devastated country the Canadian government is trying to bring to Canada for adoption. (Photo contributed)
Kelowna resident Christine Roesler is anxiously waiting, hoping “a miracle” will pluck her new niece out of the earthquake devastated country of Haiti and deliver her to Canada. And she has enlisted local MP Ron Cannan to help her make it happen.
Roesler’s brother and sister-in-law live in Edmonton and adopted a little Haitian boy in December, 2007. About six months ago they started the process to adopt another Haitian child, a little girl named Claudia.
Immigration authorities in Canada had already approved bringing Claudia back to Canada and the file was awaiting Haitian approval when the quake hit.
On Wednesday, the federal government announced it was taking “special measures” to speed the process along for 100 adoptions that were already in the works.
“They weren’t in that group but they were called the next day and told that immigration is really trying to find some government official in Haiti to sign off on their file as well as a few others so that they can bring the kids home,” said Roesler.
Desperate to help, Roesler sent an e-mail advocating for her niece to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney on Wednesday and sent a copy to Cannan.
“Within about 10 hours or so I got an e-mail back from [Cannan's] assistant. And then the next day he actually called and left a message on my voicemail and [said] he was leaving for Ottawa that afternoon and was definitely going to take it up with Minister Kenney and see what they could do from that end,” she said.
Roesler said she wasn’t sure what Cannan could do but the fact that he is getting personally involved and took the time to contact her directly “is very encouraging.”
Cannan said his office has been contacted about half a dozen cases involving Canadian families in a similar situation to Roesler and her brother.
“I’ve been working with Minister Kenney’s office and his staff,” on those cases, he said.
He added that the government is now trying to speed up adoptions for a total of 157 Haitian children and 86 of them will be on a plane to Canada tomorrow. “The minister’s office has tried to contact all 157 parents and say if they’re not on this plane they’ll be on the next one.”
When exactly the next plane will be however, has yet to be nailed down.
In the meantime, for Roesler and her family, “we are all hoping for a miracle for little Claudia and for the other children who so desperately need safe homes,” she said.
adrian@kelowna.com
250-575-3517
One Response to “Kelowna woman enlists MPs help to bring Haitian baby to Canada”
Tags: adoption, haiti, jason kenney, Kelowna, ron cannan
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I understand that these adoptions were already being processed before the Hati eartquake so as long as these children are legit orphans I have no problem.
What concerns me is the ones who are not orphans that adoption agencies are trying to swoop up. Hati needs help rebuilding right now and children should not be wisked away during a time of crisis.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116790§ionid=351020706
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/21/haiti.adoptions/index.html
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