‘Rules have to be reasonable’

The van Gelders made an application in late April to bring Ruben to P.E.I.

Ruben, who is a registered resident of Prince Edward Island with a P.E.I. health card, is allowed to come.

His grandparents, who are not P.E.I. residents, can bring the boy across the Confederation Bridge and pass him over to Abigail, but then they must return to Newfoundland.

That simply does not work, says Christa van Gelder.

“It’s just not feasible,’’ she says.

Christa and her husband have been proposing, unsuccessfully, to bring Ruben to P.E.I. and park their Airstream trailer next to Abigail’s home. They would then spend 14 days self-isolating in the trailer, along with Ruben.

Rick would eventually return to Newfoundland to continue his work as a pediatrician. Christa would stay in Belfast to help Abigail care for Ruben.

The van Gelders are also planning to have construction begin in the summer on a home near Abigail and Ruben, where the van Gelders are looking to retire together and continue to provide help in raising their grandson.

Christa implores the government of P.E.I. to accept on compassionate grounds the proposal for her and Rick to bring Ruben to P.E.I. and for the couple to stay put with the boy in Belfast.

“Rules have to be reasonable,’’ says Christa.

She says the focus must be on what is in the best interest of Ruben.

The prolonged separation from his mother has caused Ruben to become greatly agitated, notes the boy’s grandmother, adding he is experiencing meltdowns.

“It’s been long enough,’’ says Christa.

“For his sake, he needs to be where his mommy is…home is where mommy is. He wants to go home.’’

The Guardian has yet to hear back from the province on a request for comment on this case. The Guardian is also asking the government to detail what type of applications to come to P.E.I. based on compassionate basis are being accepted and what types are being rejected.