Realwomen of BC - Archives - February2007 - Concerning Nathalie Gettliffe

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THE REAL NEWS The R.E.A.L WOMEN of BC Newsletter February 2007, P.O. Box 39068, Point Grey RPO, Vancouver, BC V6R 4P1, Tel/Fax: 604- 463-1611, website: http://www.realwomen.bc.ca
Concerning Nathalie Gettliffe In April 2006, Nathalie Gettliffe, 4 months pregnant, was arrested upon her arrival from France at Vancouver International Airport. She was here to defend her doctoral dissertation. Her ex-spouse, Scott Grant, secretly revoked an agreement wherein he had signed that it was best for her to have custody of their children and live in France. After 9 months in jail in BC, this young mother was deported back to France WITHOUT her two eldest children. On March 8th, 2007, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Nicole Garson court ordered the children living here to only speak English to their mother. That’s right — they must not speak Canada’s other official language when speaking to their mother! The french-speaking children, aged 13 and 11½, were brought here in July of 2006 against their will, attend French School, and to date, have not been allowed to express their wishes in court over where they want to live. Neither do they have a lawyer to represent them and their best interests. According the Preamble of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified in 1990, “the child . . . needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection . . .". And more strongly, in Section 3.1 “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, . . . the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” Last year, the provincial government created a new Office which will provide legal representation for all children who are in care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), in response to recommendations from the Gove Commission and the death of Sherry Charlie. Unfortunately, children whose parents are adversaries in the courts have not been afforded the same rights of representation. They are being descriminated against here in BC. This must be changed!