Oregon sues Canadian over foster care

Oregon sues Canadian over foster care
By KATIE SCHNEIDER, QMI Agency

CALGARY - The mother who fought Oregon authorities for two years to get her son back to Canada after he was seized into foster care says it's ridiculous they are now suing her for child care costs.

The boy, now 12 years old, was taken by U.S. officials in 2008 while visiting his stepfather in Oakridge, Ore.

His mom battled for two years to get her son back to Calgary and finally saw her wish come true when he was returned to her last month.

Now the state is coming after her for costs related to his stay in foster care including medical expenses, citing the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act.

On Monday, she received a notice of hearing from the Alberta provincial court asking her to appear in court Sept. 14.

"They want support money to pay for all the expenses and his medical care covered," she said.

"They tripled his medication, took him to doctors, he was seeing a therapist because of the trauma of being taken."

She said authorities could have just sent him back to Canada if they didn't want to pay his costs.

"My son wasn't supposed to be there - I won, I got him back," she said.

"After that they have the gall to charge me for his care?"

The mother said when she first read the letter her first reaction was to laugh.

"It's ridiculous," she said.

"I said 'no way' and I started laughing because it's so absurd.

"Now that I have my son back, which is the most important thing, I can take amusement of the ridiculousness of it."

She said the documents do not say how much authorities are seeking.

Lawyer Tony Merchant who fought for the mom to get her son back, called the turn of events "bizarre."

"Our firm has more family law litigation filed than any in Canada and I've never seen this happen before," he said.

"It's backwards.

"You wonder what misguided views could have caused this."

He also wonders if the costs the state of Oregon are trying to recoup also include those related to his schooling.

The boy was taken in September 2008 after he was stopped for riding his bike without a helmet.

He has a severe attention deficit disorder and struggled to explain he was on holiday and staying with his stepdad.

He was eventually shuffled through four foster care placements and three schools until he was returned home June 11.

The case, first reported by QMI Agency, attracted international attention as the Calgary mom pleaded with the Canadian government to step in.

She said her son is doing well, glad to be home, and ready to begin junior high in the fall.

"He's in seventh heaven," she said.

katie.schneider@sunmedia.ca

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/07/29/14862401.html