About Us
Who We Are
Canadians for a National Apology is a non‑partisan, time‑limited national campaign calling on the Government of Canada to issue a formal apology for historical adoption practices. We exist for one purpose: to ensure that the lifelong and intergenerational harm caused by these practices is publicly acknowledged at the federal level.
Our Purpose
From the 1940s well through the 1990s, over 350,000+ mothers were separated from their newborns through practices that were coercive, discriminatory, and deeply harmful. Children were taken from their families, often without informed consent, and the consequences have echoed across generations. The 2018 Senate Report “The Shame Is Ours” documented these harms and recommended a National Apology — a recommendation that remains unfulfilled.
This campaign seeks to bring that recommendation to completion.
Our Approach
We are not an organization, a membership body, or a network with governance. We do not have a steering committee or a board. We are a focused, single‑issue campaign built to create public pressure and political will. Our work is grounded in dignity, truth, and respect for those whose lives were permanently altered by forced separation.
Our Commitment
We use language that honours the humanity of mothers, the children who were taken, and the families affected. We avoid dehumanizing terms and centre the lived experiences of those who endured these practices. We work collaboratively with individuals, families, and organizations who believe that acknowledgment is necessary for healing and justice.
Our Goal
Our goal is to secure a National Apology from the Government of Canada, as recommended by the 2018 Senate Report “The Shame Is Ours.” A formal apology is a meaningful act of public accountability that recognizes the lifelong and intergenerational harm caused by historical adoption practices. While the Senate identified four important recommendations, this campaign is focused solely on the first: a National Apology.