The grandmother of a child sent to Alberta is still waiting to see him again

The Charlottetown woman said she had no sleep after the province’s Child Protective Services removed the child from her home nearly three years ago.

After being soon placed in foster care, the child was sent to his father for a visit that would last three weeks, but the child never returned to his own province.

The case has been in court for two and a half years. This is not right. This is not right. It was the life of a little boy who was in limbohe complained.

The child’s mother had custody of him, but because he was suffering from mental health issues, the grandmother had lived with them since the child was born and was granted legal status as a parent.

The names of the grandmother and parents cannot be disclosed to protect the identity of the child.

The grandmother blames provincial child protection services. The then Director of Services, Wendy McCourt, has also come under intense criticism of the Supreme Court’s decision. Mrs. McCourt has now retired and refused to be interviewed.

It’s hard

Tearful, the 8 -year -old boy’s grandmother opened up to CBC. He said he wanted only the best for his grandson and believed that living on the island was in his best interest, a claim supported by the Supreme Court in its decision.

When he arrived in Alberta in August 2019, he said the child was begging him to take him home.

She is pleading. He said: “please, Nana, ask the judge to take me home”. I told him I would do my bestcrying he says.

” It’s hard. And I still don’t. “

A father who suited according to his lawyer

The child’s father had been in custody of him for almost three years, but before that he did not know of his son’s existence. Her mother hid from her that she was pregnant when they separated in 2013.

When Child Protective Services removed the child from his home because of the mother’s worsening mental health issue, they notified the father that he had a child.

He immediately prepared to welcome the son and become a father. Among other things, she went to the island to get to know her son, which triggered a series of court interventions in her grandmother’s child custody.

In its decision, the Supreme Court noted that the biological link between a child and its parent has little weight in assessing the child’s best interests. He was supposed to return to Prince Edward Island in March, but that didn’t happen.

The Alberta court issued an emergency order that effectively upholds the Supreme Court’s decision until another hearing takes place.

The father’s attorney, Elise Lavigne, argues that since the child arrived in Alberta, there has been a significant change in circumstances.

Mrs. indicated. Lavigne whose father had an important relationship with his son. He added that when he was told he would return to the island, the boy’s reaction was strong.

He had a very difficult and traumatic emotional and psychological reactionhe said, and added that it took an hour to calm him down.

CBC asked to speak to the father, but his lawyer indicated that it would speak for him.

” She was afraid of losing her father whom she had developed strong. “

The hearing to determine what will happen next will take place on Prince Edward Island.

Ms. Idiniin. Lavigne that it is important to keep in mind what is important for the child who now has friends and fathers in Calgary.

An attorney will be appointed to directly represent the child in future court proceedings, to take into account the child’s preferences.

But her grandmother said she would not stop fighting to get him back to the island.

She was already thinking about what he would say to her when he returned: I will tell her that I love her, that I miss her and everything will be OK too. And it will be. And we are together.

Based on Wayne Thibodeau’s report CBC