Adopted at 6 days old, Quebec woman hopeful new law will help her find birth mother

As a child, Judy Millidge remembers seeing a woman on the bus who had a nose like hersand wondering, could that be her birth mother?

Millidge doesn't remember her she was adopted at six days old and while she's content in her life and now has a family of her own, she still wonders.

"It's always in the back of your mind," Millidge, now 54, said in an interview onCBC Montreal's Daybreak.

Millidge is among those anxiously awaiting the passing of provincial legislation that would make it easier for adoptees to find their birth parents.

After years of lobbying, the Couillard government is expected to pass the changes as early as today to lift the "total secrecy" over the adoption process and allow people who were adopted and their birth parents greater access to information.

• More details on Quebec's coming adoption rules

'Modernizing' the rules

Last October, when Justice Minister StphanieValleintroduced the legislation, she said the changes were meant to "modernize" and bring greater openness toQuebec's adoption rules.

The changeswill allow an adopted child to learn the identity of his or her biological parents, unless they veto the request within 18 months.

Lisemond, who was also adopted and now works with the organization Mouvement Retrouvailles, said she hears stories like Millidge's every day.

Her organization has been pressing for changes for 25 years. As it stands, adoption files from the 1940s, 50s and 60s are confidential, she said.

"They don't divulge that information," she said.

Years-long struggle

Millidge, who was born on Nov. 28, 1962,with the birth name Robin, has tried repeatedly to get information about her birth mother.

She once got into a heated exchange with a social servicesofficial who had her file and told her it was "locked."

"It's a stranger and she holds basically your life in your hands," she said.

"I have a right to know where I come from, my children have a right to know where I come from."

She's not sure how she wouldreact if sheeventually meets her birth mother.

"Am I looking for a relationship with the person? I can't even answer that," said Millidge, a resident of Vaudreuil, Que.

"I'm looking for answers. The biggest thing is, I'd like to be able to sit with her and find out why. And also tell herI'm good, and I've had a good life."

• Quebec woman reunites with biological mother after 26-year search