Left at Home
Some of the children were well cared for by their
temporary families. In some situations, children were
neglected. Some were even abused. In other cases,
the temporary family stole the items from the barrels.
The children never saw the supplies sent for them.
Parents had to work through many immigration
requirements before they were allowed to bring their
children into Canada. It could sometimes take up to
10 years before parents were able to bring their children
to Canada. Children were often lonely and missed their
parents. Their parents were sending money, clothes, and
toys, but they weren’t there to give the children love.
The challenges continued even when the children
were reunited with their parents. Some children found it
hard to adjust when they finally came to Canada. Children
often missed the family they had left behind in their home
country. Others found it hard to get to know their parents
after so many years apart.
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