Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over two years ago I made a Member's statement regarding the child custody matter involving the removal of Roberta Vaneltsi's two children from Canada. To date, it has been almost five years since the father of Roberta's children took them to the Czech Republic and refused to return the children to the Northwest Territories to their mother. The children have been away from their mother since they were eight and five years old. The oldest will be turning 13 on May 5 and the youngest is now ten years old. Mr. Speaker, their mother Roberta, has been trying vigorously to bring the children home. They have said repeatedly that they want to come home.
The Czech Republic is now party to the Hague Convention, that means that the treaty obligations to return abducted children below the age of 16 applies as of a year ago. However, Mr. Speaker, the Czech Republic only recently ratified the convention and it has been well over a year since Roberta's children were wrongly removed from her custody. After one year the court has still been unable to order the children returned, because the person restrainer filed returning documents stating that the children were settled in a new environment. The Czech Republic must participate in the return of the children unless the children refuse to return, the court considers them old enough, satisfactory emotionally, to say for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, Roberta's children have expressed a wish to return home and under the convention, that is satisfactory for them to do so. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.