NEWS RELEASES
June 27, 2005 (5:30 EDT)
No. 120
CANADA SIGNS ADOPTION AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced an agreement that will allow
Canadians to adopt Vietnamese children for the first time since January 2003. The
signing ceremony took place in Ottawa following a meeting between Prime Minister
Paul Martin and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.
“Canada is pleased to cooperate with Vietnam to help children in need,” said Minister
Pettigrew. “This agreement will help to ensure that children’s safety and rights are
protected in the adoption process.”
The agreement establishes safeguards so that inter-country adoptions are carried out
in the best interests of children. The system of cooperation between Canada and
Vietnam will help to ensure that these guarantees are respected and will aid in the
prevention of abduction or trafficking of children.
Revelations of adoption-related corruption and child trafficking prompted the
Government of Canada to recommend, in August 2001, that provinces and territories
suspend adoptions from Vietnam until safeguards could be implemented. Following the
Canadian suspension, Vietnam implemented its own moratorium in January 2003.
Adoptions were stopped pending new agreements with partner countries.
Canada negotiated this agreement in close consultation with all provinces and
territories, which have jurisdiction for adoption and child welfare. Although the signing
of this agreement is an important first step, adoptions can only resume after its
ratification by both countries and after provinces and territories have signed and
implemented Understandings with Vietnam, a process which could take some months.
Canada is the seventh country, along with France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Sweden
and Ireland, to reach an adoption agreement with Vietnam.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
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