INTRODUCTION
On December 14, 2017, the Senate adopted an order of reference authorizing the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (“the committee”) to “examine and report on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to social affairs, science and technology generally.” Under this general order of reference, the committee held three meetings on 20, 21 and 22 March 2018 to examine the issue of the common practice, in the decades immediately following World War II of forcing Canadian “unwed mothers” to surrender their babies to adoption, that was carried out. Over the course of those meetings, the committee heard from witnesses who provided testimony on the historical context of this practice from the perspective of unmarried mothers, adoptees, child welfare agencies, family reunification organizations, historians on the issue and religious organizations. In addition, committee members heard about the comparable Australian experience and the actions taken in that jurisdiction in response to it.
This report describes Canada's history of forcibly removing children from mothers, particularly unwed mothers, and placing them in adoptive families. It compares this history to the similar Australian context and offers recommendations for offering healing to mothers and children who were harmed by this practice.
