This page is a growing collection of research, historical context, and trusted resources related to black-market adoption, hidden histories, and the systems that affected so many lives. My hope is that these materials help others learn, understand, and feel less alone as they seek truth.

Research Referenced in Connected: Finding My Truth

The following historical research informed the context and themes explored in my book Connected: Finding My Truth.

Karen Andrea Balcom
Historian whose work examines adoption practices, maternal separation, and cross-border baby trafficking in the mid-20th century.

Phony Mothers and Border-Crossing Adoptions: The Montreal-to-New York Black Market in Babies in the 1950s Journal of Women’s History

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Karen-Balcom-2237981967

https://www.amazon.com/Traffic-Babies-Cross-Border-Baby-Selling-1930-1972/dp/0802096131

Genealogical & Investigative Sources

The following sources reflect genealogical and investigative research that informed my understanding of historical adoption practices alongside academic scholarship.

Janice Hamilton
Genealogical researcher and writer whose work examines Montreal’s black-market baby adoptions through historical records and family histories.

Montreal’s Black-Market Babies
Genealogy Ensemble, April 4, 2014


https://genealogyensemble.com/2014/04/04/montreals-black-market-babies/

These sources informed the research and investigative framework used while writing Connected: Finding My Truth.

Contemporary & Historical Canadian Adoption Context

Quebec Adoption Policy (2025)
News reporting on the Quebec government’s decision to suspend most new international adoption applications due to human rights and trafficking concerns, reflecting continued scrutiny of adoption systems in Canada.
https://montreal.citynews.ca/2025/01/05/quebec-suspends-most-new-international-adoption-applications-over-trafficking-concerns/

Black Market Baby
Genealogy Ensemble, March 23, 2022 — article exploring black-market adoption practices in 1940s Montreal through genealogical and archival research.
https://genealogyensemble.com/2022/03/23/black-market-baby/

Ideal Maternity Home (Nova Scotia)
Historical account of an unlicensed maternity home involved in illegal baby placements in Canada during the early to mid-20th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_Maternity_Home

A collage of two black-and-white photos, one showing the exterior of a building with wooden balconies and stairs, and the other depicting a city street with parked cars and storefront signs. 
Photo credit: City of Montreal Archives   |  Montreal, mid-20th century

Black Market Babies: Podcast & Historical Insight

I recently came across a two-part podcast series that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. “Black Market Babies,” produced by Canadaland, investigates an international baby-smuggling ring that operated out of Montreal during the 1950s.

The series unfolds across two episodes—Episode #1063, released on November 25, 2024, and Episode #1076, which followed shortly after. Through one family’s story, the podcast reveals a much larger and deeply troubling system that affected countless lives.

Listening to these episodes was emotional for me. As someone who learned the truth about my origins later in life, the stories felt familiar in ways that are difficult to put into words. They underscore the importance of truth, acknowledgment, and the lasting impact of secrecy—not only on individuals, but on generations.

Listening resources:
You can listen to the Black Market Babies series on the canadaland website: https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/1063-black-market-babies-part-one/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-market-babies/id721048994?i=1000678113373

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6X2Gh2psnxXcSPU5Vk3Pbp

References from Connected: Finding My Truth

A colorful word cloud featuring words related to archiving, society, newspaper, public, and Vancouver, with prominent words like 'Archive,' 'Society,' 'Adopt,' and 'Vancouver'.

DNA Sites Used in Connected

  • Ancestry.com

  • 23andMe.com

  • FamilyTree.com

  • GEDmatch.com

Research & Archival Sources

  • Ancestry.com resource records

  • Canada.archives.com (free search)

  • British Columbia Genealogical Society – Member

  • National Genealogical Society – Member

  • Archives in New Westminster, BC

  • Archives in Vancouver, BC

  • Clearwater Main Library, FL

  • Denver Public Library, CO

  • New Westminster Library, BC

  • Safety Harbor Library, FL

  • Selby Public Library, Sarasota, FL

  • Vancouver Public Library – Special Collections & Central Branch

  • Western History & Genealogy Dept., Denver, CO

Social Media, Podcasts, and Support Groups

Hospitals

  • Manhattan General Hospital – Manhattan, NY

  • Royal Columbian Hospital – New Westminster, BC

  • Vancouver General Hospital – Vancouver, BC

Books Cited in Connected

  • Hidden History of St. Petersburg by Will Michaels

  • Hope Lives Here by Bob Burrows

  • Liquor, Lust, and the Law by Aaron Chapman

  • Mob Rule: Inside the Canadian Mafia by James Dubro

  • Smaldone: The Untold Story of an American Crime Family by Dick Kreck

  • The Traffic in Babies by Karen Andrea Balcom

Films Mentioned

  • Father Unknown (2014) – Dir. David Quint

  • It’s a Wonderful Life

  • Miracle on 34th Street

  • The Godfather

  • Goodfellas

  • True Lies (1994)

  • The Sopranos

Songs Referenced

  • “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper

  • “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor

  • “My Way” – Frank Sinatra

Researchers Who Inspired My Journey

No journey of discovery happens alone. Along the way, I was fortunate to receive encouragement, guidance, and support from individuals who believed in the importance of pursuing the truth.

James Dubro and Diana Kayla Hochberg
Ybor City, Tampa, Florida • February 2016
Author, journalist, organized-crime researcher, and former President of the Crime Writers of Canada.

Their encouragement, expertise, and belief in the importance of truth helped shape the journey that became Connected: Finding My Truth.

Dermod Travis
Canadian public policy researcher, author, and advocate for government transparency and accountability. Photo courtesy of Deirdre Chettleburgh.

James Dubro and Dermod Travis each played a meaningful role in encouraging me to continue my search for answers. Their insight, expertise, and generosity helped strengthen my resolve during some of the most challenging moments of my investigation.

The journey that ultimately became Connected: Finding My Truth was shaped not only by records, archives, and DNA discoveries, but also by people who believed that every story deserves to be heard.

A Connection Through Vancouver.

— Dermod Travis