Decisions undermine reconciliation

Re: “Mom to get more access after baby seized,” Feb. 22. The headline for this story might be overly optimistic in accepting that, because the judge ordered the child and mother have more access, the ministry will allow it.

I was present as a mental-health worker in support of a young mother when the judge ordered the ministry to provide for visitation and nursing. Both the ministry case worker and the supervisor were present and verbally acknowledged the judge’s order.

The mother and I went back to the ministry offices right after the hearing to learn what arrangements would be made to follow the judge’s order. To our astonishment, the ministry worker and supervisor made no arrangements for visitation in compliance with the court. Their attitude seemed to be that they knew better than the judge.

The judge in this latest case, Justice Catherine Murray, should get confirmation from the mother that the ministry has followed the order for more access.

We are living in the era of truth and reconciliation efforts to redress over a century of what are now seen as culturally genocidal actions toward First Peoples. One of those actions was forcibly taking children away from their parents and placing them in institutions to “kill the Indian in the child.”

At least those children got to stay home with their families until they were school age. Now, some Indigenous children are taken from their mothers at birth.

What hope is there for reconciliation? Paul Glassen Nanaimo