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Save Katy
Save Katy
A Personal History of Surviving an
Illegal Name Change Through
NIVA
Illegal Name Change Through
NIVA
Canada's Best Kept Secret
Save the Children of NIVA
Save the Children of NIVA
Hello, my name isn’t Katy Mitchell, and no, that isn’t a typing error.
For you see, the name and identity I was given at birth no longer
exist. They were shredded/sealed when my Mom and I were enrolled
in an Ad Hoc Process later known as NIVA (New Identities for
Victims of Abuse), in 1998. I am, quite literally, nobody.
My story is unbelievable, but sadly, very true. There are so many
events and necessary information that one has to hear my entire
story to really understand how my Mom and I ended up in NIVA,
bypassing all avenues supposedly required to legally enter the NIVA
process.
Our identities were created without proper legal advice and we have
been living without legal names since we were put in the process in
1998.
I was 6 months old when my Mother left my Father. She was in the
process of going to court regarding custody issues when the
Government stepped in and told her that my Father was too
dangerous to take to court and she would be at risk of losing me to
Children’s Services if she didn’t follow the Government’s advice
(threats).
Mom was not able to finish the custody case before entering NIVA
and does not have any custody papers. Since neither my Mother nor
my Father has custody of me, does that mean NIVA is my guardian?
Over 116 women and at least 250 children were given new identities
and were shipped off to the other side of the country (or farther).
This was starting in the early 90’s
My Mom and I are not the only family to be torn apart needlessly.
We know of other families who entered the process to make sure
that the Fathers would be cut off from their children even though, in
one case, it was likely that the father would have been given custody
if the court case had been allowed to proceed. There are other
NIVA cases where the fathers had been granted access to their
children, when their children suddenly vanished without a paper trail,
making it absolutely impossible to ever locate them. Others were
pressed by law enforcement and government officials to undergo a
complete identity change. Like us. A government official assisted
these particular women and their children who were not in any life
threatening situations to be handed a new identity.
Mom has been advised on several occasions, by NIVA
representatives to say that she does not know who my father is –
something she refuses to do. Someone told my mom to tell me my
Father died in a fire. How many children are out there searching for
their Father's Imaginary Grave?
I have not had contact with my father since infancy and neither of
my parents got their day in court. I want to know why I had to
change my name and why I could not decide for myself if my father
was the type of man I wanted in my life
Because of the Governments interference, I now cannot go for my
driving permit, get a SIN, a legal passport, a job, college and many
other damages. Like extractions of teeth because the government
doesn’t provide enough funds to repair them. No family doctor to
talk to because they don’t understand our situation and the fact that
our bodies are taking a toll constantly with stress weight gain, hair
loss/bald spots, rashes and breaking out due to the fear of having no
future (something I was promised by many MPs and MLAs)
Lack of proper nutrition makes the body die each day.
Ever pick up empty KFC buckets and other garbage on highways and
parking lots with people sitting in restaurants eating, and you have
to clean up other people’s messes just to make sure you have earned
enough money to buy plain pasta that night?
How about walking in the pouring rain with holes in your shoes?
Sharing a single pair of winter boots with your mother for the whole
season? Having a choice of three shirts and a single pair of jeans?
My mom and I wake up to this every morning. And each night that we
go to bed, nothings changed. It’s just a new date scratched off on the
calendar.
Also the fact that I have an older sister, my Father’s daughter. The
Government Official said I could not know of her because she might
still be in contact with this “dangerous” man. I don’t see how that
should have stopped my relationship with her, my Uncle, my Grammy
and my Grandpa.
They are and were wonderful people. People I should have known.
Been able to send Christmas cards too, ask them to come to school
functions (If I ever could go to any) and be able to wish well when
they were ill. I wonder if it would have made a difference.
When my Mom started asking questions and getting fed up with the
way the government was making us live, she went against what they
told her and contacted my sister. I’ve only got to see her once. It
was 6 years ago. She gave me a pink shawl that I still lug with me
everywhere.
She’s done so well with her life. She’s been through a lot and she can
still succeed. I know sometimes things are still hard for her, but the
fact that she keeps going is an inspiration to me.
She also got married last year. I did get to look at her wedding
photos online. It looks like it was a wonderful wedding.
I was not able to be in contact with her (again) because of certain
people’s promises that this story was going to break and then
everything would be okay.
I’m still waiting for everything to be okay.
We have been trying to get answers as to why we were forced into
NIVA and why the Government official was able to manipulate so
many other women in the same way and was not stopped when the
process was shut down in the 1990’s, only to be started up again
months later with the very same government official at the helm. It
shut down because too many women were entering the process
without the proper documentation, including custody orders.
NIVA runs under a cloak of secrecy, immune from public scrutiny
and it is time that the Governments and Canadian Justice System
listen to the children who have been deprived from knowing both
parents. If NIVA continues to override the justice system, Fathers
will soon be put on the endangered species list
So now I ask you for help. The legal system has done nothing to help
improve my situation.
My story has been taken to caucus, I’ve gone to the police station
with an MP’s assistant asking for help and I’ve also been offered a
new identity by another, to cover up the old one (which makes no
sense at all because to change your name you original name has to be
legal).
My mother and I need masses. If anyone has any ideas or contacts to
make this story public, please help. I can’t go on existing like this.
And that’s what it is. Until the day I have my voice heard, I will
never be living.
For you see, the name and identity I was given at birth no longer
exist. They were shredded/sealed when my Mom and I were enrolled
in an Ad Hoc Process later known as NIVA (New Identities for
Victims of Abuse), in 1998. I am, quite literally, nobody.
My story is unbelievable, but sadly, very true. There are so many
events and necessary information that one has to hear my entire
story to really understand how my Mom and I ended up in NIVA,
bypassing all avenues supposedly required to legally enter the NIVA
process.
Our identities were created without proper legal advice and we have
been living without legal names since we were put in the process in
1998.
I was 6 months old when my Mother left my Father. She was in the
process of going to court regarding custody issues when the
Government stepped in and told her that my Father was too
dangerous to take to court and she would be at risk of losing me to
Children’s Services if she didn’t follow the Government’s advice
(threats).
Mom was not able to finish the custody case before entering NIVA
and does not have any custody papers. Since neither my Mother nor
my Father has custody of me, does that mean NIVA is my guardian?
Over 116 women and at least 250 children were given new identities
and were shipped off to the other side of the country (or farther).
This was starting in the early 90’s
My Mom and I are not the only family to be torn apart needlessly.
We know of other families who entered the process to make sure
that the Fathers would be cut off from their children even though, in
one case, it was likely that the father would have been given custody
if the court case had been allowed to proceed. There are other
NIVA cases where the fathers had been granted access to their
children, when their children suddenly vanished without a paper trail,
making it absolutely impossible to ever locate them. Others were
pressed by law enforcement and government officials to undergo a
complete identity change. Like us. A government official assisted
these particular women and their children who were not in any life
threatening situations to be handed a new identity.
Mom has been advised on several occasions, by NIVA
representatives to say that she does not know who my father is –
something she refuses to do. Someone told my mom to tell me my
Father died in a fire. How many children are out there searching for
their Father's Imaginary Grave?
I have not had contact with my father since infancy and neither of
my parents got their day in court. I want to know why I had to
change my name and why I could not decide for myself if my father
was the type of man I wanted in my life
Because of the Governments interference, I now cannot go for my
driving permit, get a SIN, a legal passport, a job, college and many
other damages. Like extractions of teeth because the government
doesn’t provide enough funds to repair them. No family doctor to
talk to because they don’t understand our situation and the fact that
our bodies are taking a toll constantly with stress weight gain, hair
loss/bald spots, rashes and breaking out due to the fear of having no
future (something I was promised by many MPs and MLAs)
Lack of proper nutrition makes the body die each day.
Ever pick up empty KFC buckets and other garbage on highways and
parking lots with people sitting in restaurants eating, and you have
to clean up other people’s messes just to make sure you have earned
enough money to buy plain pasta that night?
How about walking in the pouring rain with holes in your shoes?
Sharing a single pair of winter boots with your mother for the whole
season? Having a choice of three shirts and a single pair of jeans?
My mom and I wake up to this every morning. And each night that we
go to bed, nothings changed. It’s just a new date scratched off on the
calendar.
Also the fact that I have an older sister, my Father’s daughter. The
Government Official said I could not know of her because she might
still be in contact with this “dangerous” man. I don’t see how that
should have stopped my relationship with her, my Uncle, my Grammy
and my Grandpa.
They are and were wonderful people. People I should have known.
Been able to send Christmas cards too, ask them to come to school
functions (If I ever could go to any) and be able to wish well when
they were ill. I wonder if it would have made a difference.
When my Mom started asking questions and getting fed up with the
way the government was making us live, she went against what they
told her and contacted my sister. I’ve only got to see her once. It
was 6 years ago. She gave me a pink shawl that I still lug with me
everywhere.
She’s done so well with her life. She’s been through a lot and she can
still succeed. I know sometimes things are still hard for her, but the
fact that she keeps going is an inspiration to me.
She also got married last year. I did get to look at her wedding
photos online. It looks like it was a wonderful wedding.
I was not able to be in contact with her (again) because of certain
people’s promises that this story was going to break and then
everything would be okay.
I’m still waiting for everything to be okay.
We have been trying to get answers as to why we were forced into
NIVA and why the Government official was able to manipulate so
many other women in the same way and was not stopped when the
process was shut down in the 1990’s, only to be started up again
months later with the very same government official at the helm. It
shut down because too many women were entering the process
without the proper documentation, including custody orders.
NIVA runs under a cloak of secrecy, immune from public scrutiny
and it is time that the Governments and Canadian Justice System
listen to the children who have been deprived from knowing both
parents. If NIVA continues to override the justice system, Fathers
will soon be put on the endangered species list
So now I ask you for help. The legal system has done nothing to help
improve my situation.
My story has been taken to caucus, I’ve gone to the police station
with an MP’s assistant asking for help and I’ve also been offered a
new identity by another, to cover up the old one (which makes no
sense at all because to change your name you original name has to be
legal).
My mother and I need masses. If anyone has any ideas or contacts to
make this story public, please help. I can’t go on existing like this.
And that’s what it is. Until the day I have my voice heard, I will
never be living.