A man from Oromocto is fighting for changes to New Brunswick’s adoption laws, so he can get access to his medical history.
James Lively is an adoptee who says he has received all of his non identifying information. Things like how old his parents were, where they were born, when he was born and how many uncles and aunts he has, but he has no idea of the medical information, “If I walk into vital statistics and ask for a copy of my long form birth certificate, I am told that, that information is private, and I can’t have it.”
He says without it, he can’t access his medical information.
Lively’s concern is his daughter is geting married next year and she wants to have kids. But without that medical information, Lively is unsure if he is carrying any genes that could affect his grandkids down the road.
There are currently five Canadian provinces with open adoption records. In New Brunswick, the former Conservative government held a public consultation looking at feedback into unsealing adoption records, but Lively says the new Liberal government is stalling on the legislation.
Lively says, “They are a seating majority government and from research I have done, no seating majority government has ever passed a bil that the previous government started up, because it’s politics.”
We sent a request for an interview with Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers, but we received an email back that stated, “The Province has done extensive consultation on this matter and we are still in the process of evaluating and reviewing all the information that has been gathered. We look forward to determining the next steps in the process. The opening of adoption records is an extremely personal matter for individuals and we must ensure that the interest of all parties is taken into consideration before making any proposed legislative change.”
