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Carter in Court
January 11, 2013 permalink
Chris Carter was in court yesterday on charges stemming from an incident in Chatham in February 2012 [1] [2].
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Activist aims to turn minor charges into examination of child protection system
Chatham Court HouseAn activist with Canada Court Watch is aiming to turn some minor criminal charges against him into an opportunity to bring Ontario's child protection system under the microscope.
Chris Carter, who faces a charge of personation with intent and a charge of disobeying a court order, spent more than 90 minutes in a Chatham courtroom making numerous motions for all types of disclosure and documentation.
Carter made no secret when addressing Ontario Court Justice Stephen Fuerth that he has a bone to pick with the provincial child protection system, making numerous references to the four-year battle he had with the children's aid society in the Waterloo region.
He arrived in the Chatham-Kent area about a year ago with the goal of helping families deal with the Chatham-Kent Children's Services. Carter was arrested on Feb. 21, during an uneventful protest he organized near the CKCS office, for an incident on Feb. 6 at the CKCS office.
One of the conditions of bail is that Carter cannot communicate or be near CKCS staff.
However, he sought a bail variation to allow him to represent local residents when challenging CKCS decisions.
Carter told the court his experience with the CAS ìgoes to the intensity and drive . . . to act as an agent for families being litigated against by the CAS.î
He also said part of his defence will be proving ìthe Ontario child protection system is deficient.î
Carter said he believes the personation charge is simply an attempt to keep him from helping other people deal with the children's aid society system, because of the success he has had.
He made several motions that included court transcripts of his bail hearings and audio and video recordings of his time at Chatham-Kent police headquarters. He also asked for any documentation from courthouse security that makes any reference to him.
His effort to try to prove the child protection system wants to keep him from helping others included asking the court to order CKCS, the Waterloo CAS and the Ministry of Child and Youth Services to disclose any information these agencies have shared about him.
Other information he has requested includes:
- the protocol that exists between Chatham-Kent police and CKCS.
- the service contract the CKCS has with the province.
- a copy of the 1979 operational review of the Ministry of Community and Social Services
- and the Ontario Association of Ontario Children's Aid Societies training manual for child protection.
Fuerth denied Carter his request for a bail variation that would allow him to have any dealings with CKCS, noting he must seek that through Superior Court.
He adjourned the matter until Jan. 29 to consider all the other requests made by Carter.
Source: Chatham Daily News
