Mr. Speaker, my statement today is dealing with the area of custom adoption and the length the process takes for something that you would think is straightforward and simple.
Mr. Speaker, custom adoption has been in place for hundreds or thousands of years. First Nations people — our grandparents — have adopted their grandchildren for many years. Yet the process this government is using is lengthy, cumbersome and also frustrating for a lot of custom adoption parents who have gone through the process.
Mr. Speaker, a year and a half later, the process continues on. We have legislation in place that doesn’t work and is not user-friendly to the client. I think it’s important, as government, that we take a close look at that legislation and find out why it’s not working, especially in regard to adoptions and the number of children we have — especially First Nations children — in our system by way of foster care. I think it’s important, as government, that we do whatever we can to ensure custom adoption is used and also that grandparents have the ability to understand a process that’s simple, straightforward and allows for a process that does not take a year and a half.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to the Minister on this matter. Also, I have spoken to the parent of a Gwich’in child with regard to his granddaughter, whom they spent many years trying to reunite. Also, working with other parents in our communities — especially grandparents — where their children are apprehended, their grandchildren are taken away, the grandparents find it very frustrating that they can’t get access to their grandchildren because of the courts’ apprehension orders and the policies and procedures this government puts in place. A lot of grandparents are frustrated, and they’re wondering what did they do wrong because they can’t access their grandchildren.
I think that as a government, we have a responsibility to clear that up, to see that effect on people in the Northwest Territories. I think this government has to find ways to ensure that our legislation is user-friendly.
Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services questions on this matter.
