Queen’s researcher co-ordinates multi-university statement supporting Bill 183 for adoption disclosure in Ontario

Philip Burge, assistant professor in Queen’s Department of Psychiatry is coordinating the statement signed by researchers from Canadian universities urging politicians to support this bill slated for final reading on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

Queen’s experts Karen Dubinsky, international adoption expert and author of Babies Without Borders and Nick Bala, family and child law expert join Mr. Burge in urging Ontario legislators of every political party not to miss this historic opportunity to finally recognize the rights of adult adoptees to their own personal information, and the wishes of many birth parents to learn about the offspring they relinquished decades ago.

Ontario lags considerably behind numerous other provinces and many international jurisdictions with respect to adoption disclosure laws.

Convinced that Bill 183 includes adequate protective measures to address the privacy concerns raised by a very small minority of adoptees or birth parents, these researchers support bringing Ontario adoption disclosure policies up to Canadian and international standards.

The research evidence from other jurisdictions and Canada, along with the chorus of loud voices of not only adult adoptees but organized groups of birth parents, convinces us that Bill 183 is needed now more than ever, says Mr. Burge.

For more information and a copy of the signed multi-university statement, Coalition of University Academics and Researchers for Ontario Adoption Disclosure Bill 183, please contact Philip Burge, burgep@post.queensu.ca, 613 548-4417, ext. 1211.