Bring the Ghanaian Children Home

I have been following Darrell and Jess’s lovely story about their twins from Ghana for over a year now. It broke my heart to read a few weeks ago that they had, after 6 months in country with their babes and passing Ghanaian court, returned home with empty arms. Mary and Martha, those lovely little girls, stayed in Ghana.

Today I heard of another family with twins that has had their immigration application rejected by the Canadian High Commission in Accra as well. The sad thing is - it’s no surprise. It’s well known in African adoption circles that the Accra High Commission is NOT supportive of adoption, and has thwarted citizenship and visa applications, even superseding the Ghanaian courts. I think it’s time we sent out a message that this has to stop. These poor families, just two among the others I (and maybe you) know of, are fighting our own system to bring their kids home.

Please join me in sending a letter (best) or email (also very helpful) to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Feel free to cut and paste as you like from my letter. And thank you for helping. We need to be able to stand up for these families!

Send to: Minister@cic.gc.ca
CC: YOUR MP, accra@international.gc.ca ; accra@dfait-maeci.gc.ca ; pm@pm.gc.ca

(I omitted Jess and Darrell’s last name, as they don’t put it on their blog, but please insert it if you know it too.)

The Honourable Jason Kenney, P.C., M.P.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1L1
Minister@cic.gc.ca  

RE: Blocked Adoption Visas in Accra, Ghana

July 11, 2010

Dear Minister Kenney;

I am writing to you as a Canadian citizen, and as an adoptive parent, about the strong concerns I have about the processing of adoption immigration cases by the Canadian High Commission (CHC) in Accra, Ghana.

My concern is about the rejection of visa and citizenship applications, submitted by Canadian adoptive parents on behalf of their Ghana children. There are several parents now who have legally adopted in Ghana, and have fulfilled all of the country’s expectations of process and documentation, only to have their applications for visas rejected. These parents have legal children in that country who cannot bring their kids home. I know in some of the cases, such as the Segal family (Andrea and Michael) from Bowen Island, BC, there have been previous concerns with the file… but even after addressing the concerns, the CHC refuses to reopen the Segal file. Another family I know, Darrell and Jess, also recently had their applications denied, after living for 6 months in Ghana with their legally adopted children (since passing Ghanaian court in April.)

These are not the only families I know of, but the ones that have made their struggles with CHC Accra public. Both of the families have young toddler twins that they have grown into a family with, that they love and have promised to cherish forever. Yet, they cannot bring them home. Darrell and Jess’ arms are empty, and their little girls Mary and Martha will now live without a family for the rest of their lives. The Segal family continues to live split in half, with homes on two continents, in perpetual limbo.

The immigration process is independent from the adoption process, as stated on the Canadian High Commission (CIC) website. CIC should only process the child’s citizenship/visa if the adoption satisfies the rules in the child’s birth country and the parents pass the Step 1 of the citizenship or visa process, which ensures the legitimacy of the parents’ Canadian citizenship. It is not the role of the High Commission to attempt to overthrow judiciary decisions made by the Ghanaian courts. Yet in both of these cases, the conditions are met, but the poor children wait to come home to Canada with their families.

It is apparent, that, on a case by case basis, and as an undeniable trend, the CHC in Accra is not respecting the law of its host country in regards to adoption. Either a crucial employee, or the Accra High Commission as a whole, is opposed to international, transracial adoption, and is doing its best to ensure no Ghanaian children come to live in Canada. I know that is a strong statement, but it is time someone from the adoption community is bold enough to state publicly what is well known in our community.

I hope, Minister Kenney, that you will

1. Ensure that the two family’s cases are reopened, (as the other families’ whose have been recently rejected) and be given an opportunity to be examined, while respecting the authority of the Ghanaian judicial system to make its own decisions regarding the adoption of Ghanaian children; and
2. To investigate the stated and unstated policies of the Canadian High Commission in Accra regarding international adoption, and to ensure that staff’s personal opinions on international transracial adoption are not influencing the immigration process.

I know your office deals with thousands of cases each day, but I implore you to consider the lives of these lovely children and their devoted families. Consider visiting their blogs to learn more about them, beyond the paperwork and case numbers: http://www.bringthetwinshome.org  / http://darrellandjess.blogspot.com  

I look forward to your reply and appreciate your attention on this matter.

Respectfully,
‘Nicky’

CC: Darren Schemmer, High Commissioner to the High Commission of Canada in Accra
accra@international.gc.ca  accra@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada. pm@pm.gc.ca