Parental child abduction  occurs when a parent takes or conceals a child from the other parent. International child abductions are situations where children are unlawfully taken from the country of their habitual residence and withheld in a foreign jurisdiction.  

Canada is a signatory to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty which provides for reciprocal measures among many countries to address child abduction. Where The Hague Convention is not applicable, other legal claims and strategies can be used to seek the return of children to Canada or to their jurisdiction of habitual residence. 

In every case, early strategic advice and swift action provided by Epstein Cole is critical in international abductions due to the complexities of this area of law and the urgency which often accompanies such cases.