ENCORE | How two friends fought to be legal 'co-mommas' to a 7-year-old boy — and won
They're best friends, colleagues and neighbours. But Natasha Bakht and Lynda Collins aren't lovers, so according to law, they couldn't both be mothers to the same profoundly disabled boy.
They challenged that premise, and last year the women officially became "co-mommas." The victory was a legal first in Ontario, but it may also be the last.
The two mommas:
Lynda Collins, 42, and Natasha Bakht, 44, are both lawyers and professors at the University of Ottawa.
Bakht, who became a single mom by choice, gave birth to Elaan in February 2010. Collins was there as a supporter and coach.
"It was one of the best days of my life," remembers Collins.
Crushing news
At around six-months-old, a Toronto neurologist diagnosed Elaan with periventricular leukomalacia — portions of Elaan's brain were dead.
"He described it to us as being like a Swiss cheese brain. He said, 'You're looking at very significant disabilities going forward,'" Collins recalls.
"I remember, as we left that neurologist appointment Natasha said to me, 'What kind of life is he going to have?' And I said, 'He's going to have a wonderful life. We're going to make sure of that.'"
Raising Elaan
Now seven, Elaan has cerebral palsy, asthma and epilepsy. He doesn't speak and he is visually impaired, but his mothers say his cognition is quite good.
She became a caregiver to Elaan and Bakht's closest confidant, accompanying them to appointments and on trips around the world.
Collins had become Elaan's second momma.
"We decided to formalize the relationship," says Bakht.
But under the law, since they were friends and not "conjugal" partners, Collins could not legally adopt Elaan. They hired a lawyer and made submissions to the court.
It worked.
In January, a judge signed the order, and Elaan's updated birth certificate has both his mothers' names on it.
"I'm not a single mom anymore. I have a partner in this journey," Bakht smiles.
New law
Under this new law, Ontarians who have used reproductive services such as sperm donation or surrogacy no longer have to apply to the court to be confirmed a parent. But co-parents need to have entered into a written agreement before conception.
Bakht and Collins didn't have such an agreement, so the new law would have excluded them.
In the future, would-be co-parents in a similar situation will have to challenge the constitutionality of Ontario's adoption law.
"I'm hopeful that there's more space in the new legislation than we think," Collins says.
A future together
Bakht and Collins plan to write a legal article about their own victory.
At home, the co-mommas are looking toward their family's future, however daunting that may be.
"I always wanted to be a parent and I'm really grateful for Natasha that she gave me that. She didn't have to do that … There is no condition on this."
* Update: Since this documentary first aired in February, Elaan has graduated from the Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre in June. This story has received coverage all around the world — from India to Italy and beyond. As a result, both Natasha and Lynda have been overwhelmed by the positive support they have received.
Listen to the full segment at the top of this web post.
The documentary Elaan's two mommas was produced by the CBC's Julie Ireton and The Current's documentary editor Josh Bloch.