For Immediate Release
April 24, 2008

CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS DESERVE TRUTH FROM MCGUINTY LIBERALS: STERLING
PC MPP says CAS, parents of abused children oppose flawed Liberal Bill

(Queen’s Park) – Progressive Conservative MPP Norm Sterling (Carleton-Mississippi Mills) today called on Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur to stop misleading Ontarians about proposed Liberal legislation that would remove the rights of child abuse victims.

“The Minister says she has support for a Bill that would release the information of child abuse victims to their abusers,” said Sterling. “But Ontario’s 53 Children’s Aid Societies don’t support it, the adoptive parents of these abused children certainly don’t support it and neither do victim support groups. If these stakeholders don’t support this Bill, who does?”

After questioning the Minister in the Legislature yesterday, Sterling was told that both Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner and stakeholders are “on board” with the Liberal legislation. Sterling cited an email he received today from the Privacy Commissioner saying she “supports strong privacy protections, especially for vulnerable persons or groups”.

“If a child who was severely abused by the hand of a parent and then subsequently adopted out through the CAS isn’t a deemed a ‘vulnerable person’ in the McGuinty Liberals’ world, then who is?” asked Sterling.

The McGuinty Liberals’ Bill 12, the Access to Adoption Records Act, would grant abusive birth parents new rights to access the information of children who were put up for adoption, once those children turn 19 years old. In committee hearings earlier this week, Sterling tabled an amendment that would uphold the protection of child abuse victims, but Liberal members voted against it.

“These children of abuse, even when they turn 19, aren’t emotionally able to deal with the possibility that their abuser can learn their name and track them down,” said Sterling. “Our justice system would never, never provide a rapist, a person who had attempted murder, a person who had committed a serious assault with identifying information about their victim. What makes this any different?”

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For more information:  
Norm Sterling, MPP, Carleton-Mississippi Mills at (416) 314-7900