The first group of children adopted by Canadian families from earthquake-devastated Haiti should arrive in Canada within a few days, says Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

"We hope and expect the first group will be coming this weekend," Kenney told CTV's Canada AM Thursday.

He said Haitian officials are working to fast-track foreign adoptions, but the chaotic state of the country -- and the virtual collapse of the government -- has slowed down the process.

"The problem is there is no longer a legal system in Haiti, so a lot of these cases are in limbo because they have not been approved," he said.

"We're going to go to them with a bulk list and say these are the kids we'd like to remove from Haiti as soon as possible," Kenney said.

He said the Haitian government already approved some adoptions, and the Canadian government is trying to get those kids on flights to Canada as soon as possible.

CTV News has also learned that three Haitian orphans who were evacuated from Haiti by the U.S. government and flown to Pittsburgh, have already been formally adopted by Canadian parents. But there is no word on when they might arrive in Canada.

Kenney did not reveal how many children are expected to arrive on the weekend.

CTV's Roger Smith reported Thursday that Canada has identified 150 cases where families were successfully matched with children. He said paperwork was mostly complete in about 100 of those adoptions before the earthquake hit.

Kenney said he understands the anxiety of many adoptive parents, but said foreign adoptions are complicated and officials want to prevent child trafficking, which happened after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

"That's why it's very important to be careful when dealing with children," Kenney said.

He also said there is still uncertainty surrounding whether parents are in fact alive, when it comes to new adoptions.

"We don't want to be separating kids from their potential families during this chaos," he said.

"Please understand we're working for (adoptive parents) as hard as we can, but we need some kind of authorization. We cannot simply go into orphanages and remove children from that country."

Still, some Canadian parents hoping to adopt say they have been hamstrung by red tape. Among them is Jackie Reimche, who began the adoption process in Dec. 2008.

In July, Reimche was cleared to adopt a pair of twins. However, the boys are still staying in an orphanage which has been overrun with other homeless infants.

"We need to be included in these families that are given priority right now," Reimche told CTV News Channel on Thursday.

"It is frustrating for us," she said, adding that government officials have told her that she is not on the priority list.

While much of the hold-up has to do with the shutdown of the Haitian government, Reimche said the paperwork can be completed at a later date.

"Lets just get these kids over here and we will complete the adoption on the Haiti side afterwards," she said.

But Steve Matthews, Relief Communications Director for World Vision, says Canadians may be well-meaning, but taking kids away from their homeland may not be wise

"Right now the best idea is to look after them now in their own country, in their own community, rather than rip them away," he said.

"It's a controversial topic but our position is adoptions are not a good idea at this time."

Kenney said Canada is doing the best it can to unite families that were affected by the earthquake.

He said Canada's priority for helping people out of Haiti is as follows:

  • Canadian citizens are first,
  • Canadian residents are second
  • Adopted children are third
  • Close family members, including grandparents and children under 18 are fourth