Tina ThrussellMy friend, Celine Williamson, has been working for 21 years to set right the wrong done to those 350,000 unwed moms who lost their babies to forced adoption in the 1940s to 1970s (more about that in italics below) …
and the petition for a formal apology and funding to assist those impacted is finally going to the government to request that the recommendations put forward be acted upon! It only takes 2 minutes and can make a world of difference to all those moms, children and their families. Will you consider signing it?
Here is Celine’s request:
In light of the 350,000 unwed mothers whose children were taken from them and forced into adoption situations in the post-war era… and all the emotional fall-out that stems from that, we are asking you to consider signing the on-line petition (which includes more details) to aid all those involved. Link here
If you want more details about what sparked this petition for a formal apology and funding to assist those impacted (21 years in the making!) here is a link to the powerful Documentary on the topic: “Mum’s the Word” – https://mumsthewordthefilm.com/
This document also explains more: The Shame is Ours: Forced Adoptions of the Babies of Unmarried Mothers in Post-war Canada https://sencanada.ca/en/info-page/parl-42-1/soci-adoption-mandate
As this is an MP sponsored petition that will be presented in the Canadian House of Commons, YOU MUST BE A CANADIAN CITIZEN OR RESIDENT TO SIGN
Link to petition – open for signature. ( https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-6782
Please spread far and wide with your families and friends so we get the required number of signatures! We need 500 signatures by November 18, 2025.
Respectfully, Tina Thrussell, Woman That Dances with Light
More about how I got involved:
Celine Williamson first shared with me in 2019 about the Post War Adoption Mandate – illegal and unethical practices that resulted in 350,000 forced adoptions in Canada. She also revealed that the first recommendation within the Senate Committee’s Report is that the government of Canada issue an apology for the forced adoption of the white babies of unmarried mothers from the 1940’s to the 1970’s.
For the mothers and their children who got caught up in this web of betrayal and deceit (which Celine refers to as “Canada’s own version of the Handmaid’s Tale”) an apology would set the record straight and certainly help with the reunion process, as it would start the healing on the right track.
Biological mothers and adoptees are two sides of the same coin, and Celine is especially concerned for the adoptees who do not know the truth about their forced adoptions, and that the trauma of abandonment and loss of identity was also their mother’s experience.
The Senate Committee’s Report along with all the documentaries and media attention this dark chapter has received since 2018, (you can watch the documentary, “Mum’s the Word” that Celine was involved with here) have finally opened the doors for mothers and adoptees – and their extended families – to heal.
As an activist and advocate of open adoption records across Canada, Celine has facilitated numerous adoption reunions and continues to assist individuals and families through the ongoing challenges of the adoption journey.
