Starting June 8, under a change in legislation, any adult who has been adopted in Quebec will be able to know the names of their biological parents — and perhaps even grandparents — whether the parents like it or not, according to an article in Montreal newspaper La Presse.
Adopted people will have access to the name of their mother, their father (whether or not he has been officially recognized), or their grandparents if they are registered in the file. Brothers and sisters can also be found in certain cases.
Delays expected
The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services estimates that between 30,000 and 70,000 adopted people could submit an application. The new rules will, understandably, lead to an increased number of requests, which will likely cause delays.
For the last seven years, people adopted in Quebec have had access to their file if their biological parents had not registered a veto.
Now, there will be no more secrecy or vetoes. Any adopted adult will have the opportunity to know their origins.
