‘The Coronation Girls' reunite to meet King Charles
A group of high school girls who were assembled to witness Queen Eliabeth's coronation in 1953 are reuniting to meet King Charles during his visit.
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CBC
9 hours ago
- CBC
Survivors of Ireland's notorious homes for unwed mothers could lose benefits in the U.K.
Jane Libberton was shocked to learn that her elderly mother could lose her benefits if she finally receives compensation for having her toddler taken away from her seven decades ago. Libberton is the daughter of Philomena Lee, a 92-year-old Irish woman whose story of being forcibly separated from her son brought global attention to Ireland's dark history of mother and baby homes: Catholic institutions for unmarried mothers and their children. Ireland is now offering financial compensation to the survivors of those homes, which are notorious for their long history of abuse, neglect, unpaid labour and forced adoptions. But for the thousands of survivors who now reside in the United Kingdom — Lee included — accepting that money means they could lose out on much needed government benefits. "It kind of nullifies the point of the compensation," U.K. Labour MP Liam Conlon told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. Conlon has introduced a bill to prevent that from happening, called Philomena's Law. Libberton joined him on CBC Radio to support the proposed legislation named after her mother. "I think it is a great thing that he's trying to do for the Irish people here in this country," she said. What happened to Philomena Lee and other survivors? Between 1922 and 1998, tens of thousands of unmarried Irish mothers and pregnant women and girls were placed in the mostly nun-run institutions, often against their will. In 2021, Ireland published its final report from a public inquiry into the homes. It contained accounts from roughly 56,000 women and 57,000 children who were placed or born in the institutions, detailing horrific accounts of abuse, neglect, child deaths, forced labour and family separation. Of all the tragic tales to emerge from the scandal, Lee's is one of the best known. It was told in the 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by journalist Martin Sixsmith, then adapted into the 2013 film Philomena, starring Judi Dench. Pregnant at 18, Lee was sent to the Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, where she was forced to do unpaid labour. It continued until she was 22, when her three-year-old son Anthony was suddenly adopted by a family in the U.S. without her consent. "All I could see was his face peering out the back of the [car] window and that was the last I ever saw him," Lee recounted during a 2014 interview with then- As It Happens host Carol Off. "I have never forgotten that moment in my whole life and I don't suppose I ever will." Why survivors could lose benefits In the U.K., the government runs a system of social benefits for those in need, including pension credits, housing benefits and social care for people who are ill or disabled. Those benefits are means-tested, which means eligibility is contingent on a person's income and savings. So an influx of compensation from the Irish government — anywhere from €5,000 to €125,000 ($7,800 to $195,000) — would impact that formula, potentially putting some benefits out of survivors' reach. "She's getting older and frailer, so she's probably going to have to get carers at some point," Libberton said of her mother. "So the compensation money, she'd have to pay for carers out of that." WATCH | 2021 report finds thousands of infants died in mother and baby homes: 9,000 babies died in Ireland's mother and baby homes 4 years ago Duration 2:05 A disturbing report into Ireland's mother and baby homes, where unwed mothers were sent to give birth and forced to give their babies up for adoption, says along with other indignities, 9,000 babies died in the care of the 18 homes. The Irish Catholic Church, which ran the homes, has apologized and the prime minister is also expected to apologize this week. Conlon's bill would exempt the Irish compensation package from the means-tested benefits formula. And it has broad support. More than 100 MPs from all parties (out of the U.K. lower house's 650 MPs) have signed a letter of support endorsing the bill. "It shows that we're building a consensus," Conlon said. "This shouldn't be about party politics. This should be something that everyone can unite behind." Is the U.K. responsible for an Irish scandal? During a debate on the bill Tuesday, Labour's Andrew Western, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for work and pensions, said the government is already "carefully considering whether to legislate to disregard payment from Ireland's mother and baby institutions payment scheme" — though he could not provide a timeline. Western noted that similar exemptions for means-tested benefits have been carved out before for people who received compensation for, among other things, the U.K.'s tainted blood scandal, the Windrush generation immigrant scandal and the 2021 Grenfell Tower fires. Still, he said, this case could prove more complicated because the compensation comes from outside the country. "What all the examples I have given have in common is that the circumstances that gave rise to that compensation payment either occurred in this country or involved events for which the U.K. government have direct responsibility or liability," Western said. "We must not forget that income-related benefits are paid for through general taxation, so disregarding a compensation payment comes at a cost to the taxpayer." Conlon admits that carving out an exception for foreign money would, indeed, be "unprecedented." "Everything's unprecedented until it happens, and this needs to happen, and I'm going to keep campaigning until it does happen," he said. Libberton, meanwhile, says her mother is proud to support Conlon's efforts.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Nearly 90k lbs of food collected for London Food Bank
Organizers with the London Cares Curb Hunger campaign say they brought in nearly 90,000 pounds of food. The London Food Bank's campaign wrapped up over the weekend at several local grocery stores. Organizers say it's about stockpiling for the food bank now before donations slow down during the summer months.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
International landlord manhunt disrupts tenants
London Watch Services have been restored after tenants at a St. Thomas apartment building lost water and power. CTV London's Bryan Bicknell explains why.
