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On Wednesday, child services in Chatham sought an Ontario judge’s permission to enforce the Quebec court order to seize 14 children from two families living in the Lev Tahor sect — including a 17-year-old who is the mother of an infant child, making her both a child and the mother of a child included in the protection proceedings.

The hearing has been postponed until Dec. 23. And even then, arguments could be lengthy.

Nachman Helbrans, son of the group’s founder, Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans, said legal arguments will take “some days, maybe weeks.”

“There [are] no new issues or negative issues [brought] up by the child services in Ontario. On the contrary, they are very positive regarding the current situation of the families, but they have pure legal issues regarding jurisdiction,” he said.

“Our legal ‘battle’ is concentrated only to fight the illegitimate Quebec court procedures against residents of Ontario.”

Calls to Chatham-Kent Children’s Services were not returned.

Documents provided to the families Tuesday show that on Dec. 4 a justice of the peace was asked to issue a warrant of apprehension against the families — without notifying them — which was declined on Dec. 7, says Armenia Teixeira, lawyer for the families.

That led to Wednesday’s court hearing of a formal motion by children’s services to have the children returned to Quebec to fulfil the Quebec court order.

Child services here has no power in Ontario

Quebec officials are waiting to learn if their order will be enforced in Ontario and remain concerned over the children’s health, said Isabelle Dugré with child-protection services in the Laurentians.