Underhoused Parents Camp at BC Legislature, Demand Answers and their Newborn Back

The Ministry of Children and Family Development has just taken away a couple’s newborn child under the most nebulous of rationales, leaving the parents with no plausible recourse except camping on the lawn of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, demanding answers and their child back.

Sonja and Philip Hathaway have already made the headlines last Fall for settling on a DIY boat moored to the Campbell River after spending three years waiting for BC Housing to find them a home.

While it is questionable whether underhoused parents are able to provide for a child, my interview with them revealed their housing condition isn’t at all the crux of the matter, but is instead mired in prejudice pertaining to mental health and addiction, in a case reminiscent of R.R. vs Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society, in which the BC Human Rights Tribunal awarded a mother 150’000$ for the government discriminating against her on the basis of race and disability upon taking her children away.

The Hathaway’s score is with the provincial government instead, which is taking issue with the mother’s drinking issues. The Ministry set two conditions in order to allow her to keep her child: one is to attend a DTES transition house, which Sonja seems to be begrudgingly receptive to; the other is to separate from her partner, which the couple categorically refuses to.

It is unclear what is driving the Ministry to split up the couple. The most plausible explanation pertains to Philip being arrested back in December and charged with resisting arrest while allegedly being beaten and choked for ten long minutes while prostrate and handcuffed, to the point that Sonja interceded, fearing for his life. The couple has filed a complaint with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner and an investigation is ongoing. In later proceedings, the Crown prosecutor has conceded that there is no reason to presume the father poses a risk to the child.

And yet the Ministry has taken away the Hathaway’s newborn child at the Victoria General Hospital yesterday. Not only doesn’t the Ministry seem receptive to argument, the couple’s legal counsel allegedly refuses to help them down this road, deeming it a waste of resources.

So the Hathaway are exercising their last recourse: occupying the Legislature precincts and alerting the media, threatening to remain until their grievances have been addressed. Knowing how obtuse our government can be in such matters, I wished them luck upon concluding our interview, knowing full well they’re going to need it.