Firm's collapse impacts P.E.I.
Firm's collapse impacts P.E.I.
JIM DAY
The Guardian
Solutions are being sought for six Island families left in limbo after an international adoption agency went bust, says the P.E.I. adoption co-ordinator.
Richey Mayne says the province is looking to the federal government to explore what can be done for Island families eager to complete the adoptions they started through Imgaine Adoption in hopes of adopting children from Ethiopia.
Ontario’s minister for children, Deb Matthews, says she’s doing her best to ensure foreign adoptions started by the bankrupt private adoption agency are completed.
Matthews said she’s following the situation at Kids Link International Adoption Agency, which operates under the name Imagine Adoption.
About 400 Canadian families are in limbo since the Cambridge-based firm in southwestern Ontario declared bankruptcy on Monday.
Matthews said “job one” is to complete about 20 adoptions awaiting federal paperwork such as visas. And she’s working with Jason Kenney, the federal citizenship and immigration minister, she said, “to speed that process.”
“We are trying to get the kids who in fact have already been adopted and are waiting for their Canadian visa,” said the London-North-Centre MPP, who was reached in Newfoundland.
“We are trying to get that work done and get them into their new homes as soon as possible . . . We’ll get them home.”
About another 30 children have been matched with parents already but aren’t as ready to leave Ethiopia as the first 20, she said.
Mayne says P.E.I. does not have any families in that particular situation.
Nine Island families have contracted with Imagine Adoption. Two of those families have already adopted children from Ethiopia through Imagine Adoption and have legal custody of them here on the Island. The remaining seven had been approved to adopt a child or children from Ethiopia through Imagine Adoption but were still waiting for a child proposal when news broke that the agency went into receivership.
Mayne says she is eager to provide whatever help she can to assist the families.
“We’re doing the best we can to be in touch with these families and support them,’’ she said.
Mayne says she is keeping in constant contact with federal officials to learn what, if anything, can be done to help complete the adoptions that Islanders were working on through Imagine Adoption.
One of the Island couples in limbo — Kelly and T.J. Keenan of Charlottetown — were prepared for frustrations and delays in the adoption process, but they never braced for the agency they were dealing with to file for bankruptcy.
“It was just devastating for the two of us,’’ she said. “We know that we have to stop crying and figure out a solution.’’
The Keenans started talking with Imagine Adoption in February 2008. They were approved for adoption and were told by the agency they should have a match by the spring. They are looking to adopt two siblings up to the age of three.
“We’re trying to work with Richey and support her in any way we can,’’ said Kelly Keenan. “I realize that they (provincial government) were not any more prepared for this than we were.’’
Imagine Adoption had its licence renewed in October and met all the requirements for such operations, said Matthews.
“The licence states that they can perform adoptions that comply with Ontario law,” she said, adding “It does not speak to the financial viability of the company. These are private companies.”
In filing for bankruptcy, Kids Link revealed it owed $800,000 to 400 families and its assets of $723,004 were $363,000 less than its liabilities.
With files from The Canadian Press
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