A better watchdog for children’s aid
In about a dozen cities across the province this spring and summer, protesters have taken to the streets to bring public attention to the fact that Ontario is the only province in the country that does not allow its ombud to oversee children’s aid societies.
The issue has been coming up for more than 35 years, from sitting ombuds, and from successive private members’ bills, to no avail.
“These are highly important and emotional and technical matters that involve our children,” Child and Youth Services Minister Laurel Broten told the legislature as recently as May. The government prefers to leave the oversight to a little-known body called the Child and Family Services Review Board, which it says has the expertise to deal with such highly charged questions.
But the review board only deals with procedural matters: rather than review say, an allegation of abuse of a child under a society’s care, the board would either dismiss the complaint or order the Children’s Aid Society in question to respond. As well, the board will only consider complaints from only those who directly seek or receive services from a child protection agency; a grandparent or concerned neighbour, for instance, would be unable to appeal to the review board. An ombud can also take the larger view, highlighting trends or system-wide issues, rather than merely issuing decisions on individual cases.
The current ombud, André Marin, says his office has received more than 2,500 complaints about refusals to adequately investigate allegations of abuse or neglect, about concerns in the way children have been removed from a home, complaints about the care of children under the supervision of a children’s aid society, about inaccurate records or harassing behaviour by society staff.
There is no doubt the staff at children’s aid societies are committed professionals who perform a vital yet very difficult job under circumstances that are often fraught with emotion. That fact does not, however, erase the need for a transparent, easily accessible, arm’s-length system of oversight to which people can turn if they aren’t happy with the services they’ve received.
The province spends $1.4 billion a year on protecting some 18,000 vulnerable children through the services of 53 children’s aid societies. Such a broad function, consuming a significant amount of tax dollars, requires a clear system of oversight.
In 2009, the province set up a Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare, which is set to report in the fall of 2012. As a minimum, the commission should clarify what Marin calls the “somewhat murky status quo.”
The thousands of complaints that have made their way to Marin’s office, and the protesters speaking out across the province, are abundant evidence that the current system, despite the minister’s bland assurances, is inadequate.
Source: The Record
Children’s aid money serves many purposes
I am writing in response to the editorial of July 21, A Better Watchdog For Children’s Aid, which stated: “The province spends $1.4 billion a year on protecting some 18,000 vulnerable children through the services of 53 children’s aid societies. Such a broad function, consuming a significant amount of tax dollars, requires a clear system of oversight.”
I support the need for system oversight. The purpose of my column is not to debate the merits of each of the reviews that are done in a society. Accountability plays an important role in our work and I appreciate The Record’s coverage of this issue because I think it is important for those interested in this issue to have the full picture. I am writing to address the misconception that the government provides $1.4 billion to serve only 18,000 children. This is an error. The $1.4 billion provided to all children’s aid societies across the province was used in 2010 to:
- Respond to 161,819 referrals where children were identified as being at risk of harm or potential risk of harm.
- Provide assessment and investigation services to 82,300 families.
- Provide ongoing support and protection services to 25,377 families in order to ensure child safety and reduce risk.
- Complete 993 adoptions.
- Provide assessment, training, and support to over 7,100 foster and kinship homes that look after the 17,416 children in care who cannot live with their own parents.
The 18,000 children mentioned in the editorial is only the number of children and youth who are in the legal care of the society. This amounts to approximately 10 per cent of the children we serve. Approximately 90 per cent of the children served in our province remain in the care of their parents or other family members and the funding provided pays for a number of other critical services to support these children and their families. This is a critical point.
Assessing the needs of children who may be at risk involves careful consideration of the child’s needs during times when families may be at their most stressed. Given the emotional intensity and the complexity of the situation, it can be expected that there will be disagreements and different perspectives as to how a situation can best be managed in a way that addresses a child’s safety. When difficulties arise, as they most undoubtedly will, each society has an internal process for discussing concerns and resolving issues. The majority of concerns are resolved at this level, and those that don’t have other mechanisms in place for further review.
In addition to the Child and Family Services Review Board, there is also the office of the Provincial Advocate, a number of licensing and standards reviews and, of course, the family court system which ultimately determines whether or not a child is in need of protection.
As a community, we must do our best to understand the underlying issues that families face and come together as a caring society to develop supports and services that address the root causes of child abuse and neglect. It is important that we all understand the facts. We know that public education and awareness are key components of prevention. We also know that ready access to services and concrete supports are critical for families.
At Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region, we will continue to work with families and our community partners to provide a range of services that address risks and build on families’ strengths. We know we cannot do this without the help of an informed and caring community.
Alison Scott is the executive director of Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region.
Source: The Record
In response to Childrens Aid article
In this Waterloo Record newspaper article the Children’s Aid $ociety of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo’s (CA$ RMW) ex. dir. Scott is obviously tailoring her propaganda for an audience which doesn’t have true and accurate knowledge of the CA$s.
t is not just difficult but actually impossible to accept that Ms. Scott “support(s) the need for system oversight.”
In fact I know from personal experience and researched knowledge that her statement couldn’t be farther from the truth….
In example I know for a fact that Ms. Scott, who has a Master degree in Social Work, is not registered as a Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College):
http://www.ocswssw.org/en/default.htm
Ms. Scott’s salary is a matter of public record:
http://www.fixcas.com/social/pay2010.htm
In 2010 she is reported as making $156,538.19!
To the best of my knowledge, membership in the College is approx. $300.00/year.
However, the College has two very important features which, in my opinion, make College membership untenable for probably about 90% of the more than 8700 CA$ staff throughout this province:
1. Ethical and professional standards and codes:
http://www.ocswssw.org/en/professionalpractice.htm
2. the CA$ worker dreaded Complaints and Disciplinary Committee:
http://www.ocswssw.org/en/complaints.htm
In my opinion Ms. Scott, like the overwhelming number ((90%!?) of CA$ RMW staff who do social work but refuse to register with the College, is unable to adhere to the College’s ethics and professional standards and is terrified of the College’s Discipline and Complaints Committee.
Here is what Mr. Vern Beck of Canada Court Watch has written about the subject:
http://www.canadacourtwatch.com/files/all/The_Unlawful_Practice_of_Social_Work.pdf
As well, the CA$ RMW is well know to be one of the “most litigious” (if no the #1) CA$s of the 53 throughout the province (you know those financial donations you’ve made to the CA$ RMW over the years; well that money has gone into the pockets of the CA$ lawyers and, perhaps not directly but ultimately, their Ontario ‘court’ of ‘justice’ judges).
In fact the gov’t of Ontario and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services ( MCYS) were so worried about this issue that the MCYS, in one of its very 1st official actions after having been established in 2002/3, completed a 2003 “research project” titled: “A Review of the Legal Services of the CA$s of the Central West Region.”
The sole objective of this “research project” was to ascertain and correct the deficiencies and ugliness which were resulting in the CA$ RMW dedicating a greater percentage of its budget to litigation $$$$$$$$$$$$ than the other CA$s.
The project failed miserably and the CA$ RMW continues to be one (if not the) most criminal and destructive CA$s of the 53.
Note: when I attempted to obtain a copy of that document via a FIPPA request back in 2008, the MCYS senior freedom of information officer stated: “You’re wasting your time, more than 50% of the document will be blacked out.”
Everyone knows that these two aforementioned examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to CA$ fraud, malfeasance, criminality and ugliness.
For example I could raise issues like:
- the percentage of kids who are put on mind and spirit destroying psychotropic drugs by the CA$ RMW after they are snatched from their families (the CA$ gets significantly more money from the gov’t of Ont. to ahhhh ‘care’ for medicated kids)
- the indescribably filthy tactics and strategies of well orchestrated emotional and psychological manipulation and exploitation which the CA$ routinely utilizes against innocent and precious children and families when the CA$ targets a family’s children for Crown Wardship status $$$$$$$$$$ (euphemistically identified as “malicious litigation”).
- if it is such a legitimate process as Ms. Scott appears to be asserting, why doesn’t the CA$ RMW post the decisions (with the necessary redaction’s) of its infamous Internal Complaints Review Panel to its website?
Finally, if you want to begin to get some real insight into the CA$ monster attend the Cambridge courthouse on the CA$ “child snatching Wednesdays” and the Kitchener courthouse for more of the same on Tues. and Thurs.; sit and watch the CA$ workers as they laugh at and mock the families who they’ve ripped apart (undoubtedly, as a result of this posting, a memo will be circulated throughout the CA$ RMW warning the workers to be on their best behavior, which they might be able to accomplish for a week or two but you know what they say about a leopard’s inability [or in this case its refusal] to change its spots).
Talk to those families about their cases and the CA$’s actions against their children.
Foster home hell $$$$$$$$$$$!
Don’t forget to visit the Argus Youth homeless shelter where the CA$’s former Crown Wards are unceremoniously tossed by the CA$ (that is if they ain’t already in a Youth or Adult jail where well over 50% of CA$ Crown Wards end up…ofcourse that’s better than the 120 CA$ babies and kids who ended up in graveyards in 2009!).
Then travel over to the Bridges shelter and speak with the staff and people staying there and ask them about their experiences with and opinions of the CA$.
After that, on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, you can visit the very wonderful volunteers and people benefiting from the lunch provided at the Trinity Anglican Church over by the Cambridge Library.
Again, talk to these people about the CA$; I promise that they’ll share information with you in regards to the CA$ which Ms. Scott would and will never ever admit to.
38 comments
Source: Cambridge Advocate
Wow! Is this article a Letter to the Editor in the K-W Record???? I’d be surprised if they would print such a strong criticism/condemnation of any government regulated body. I’ve had concerns for the last several years about the CAS based on second hand anecdotal evidence as well as occasional newspaper articles but this article and attachments are incredible.
This was sitting in the comment section and I thought it had to be featured..
I have heard horror stories for a long time now about CAS… Lets hope this exposes some of them.
Get this person to run for the Cambridge Mayor. Straight talk, no BS, blowing the lid off of a dishonest, filthy organization. Gangsters no less, with all the good will to scam cash and hearts away from the good. l place people like this along with the child raping Priests, and those that get donations for a sick family member or themselves and spend it on other things then the true purpose. Children, our wealth their future stolen from them. Yikes, this article hit a bloody nerve. Government….ya,we can trust you bastards at all levels …NOT. Life has a funny way of payback in this or the next just ask the ferryman.
Mr. Carter’s comments represent the extreme view of a tiny percentage if the popultion who feel they have been wronged by the CAS. Here’s my advice, try being a better parent instead of wasting your time on this crap. It’s worked for me and millions of parents everywhere. I love the publishing of salaries tactic. The woman has a master’s degree and holds an executive position, so yeah she makes a great living. Jealous Mr. Carter, well go get a master’s degree. It sure worked for me.
Mr. Carter speaks the truth. There are a lot of ‘good’ parents that have had their children taken from them. A lot of these parents have been fighting to get their children back. Doing everything and more required by CAS to still have them refuse. NOT all children taken by CAS deserve to be shuttled between abusive foster homes. A lot of females have been sexually assaulted in the system.
Scott, you must work for CAS and it isn’t an extreme view it is the truth. Some parents because they were in the system as children have their children taken from them at birth; never being allowed to have time to ‘parent’. Does this not say a lot of what CAS thinks about their own system. Some parents have had children with disabilities taken away so that they could get better care ….. yeah death.
Before you spout your lack of knowledge Scott maybe you should research. I’m sure you know how to do that. 400 children have died in care ….. NOT at home. (stats from last 4yrs). A lot of the kids presently in the system will also tell you that they are abused in care and weren’t at home.
I could go on in support of all of Mr. Carters points but he’s so eloquently covered it all; even with proof. It’s unfortunate how some Canadians just want to put blinders on when they see the truth.
Just like our pedophile priests all should be in jail but the kids must have just been looking for trouble, right. l am glad it worked for Scott truly l am but l have heard people l know tell me horror stories and go nearly broke fighting. Being a good parent is a given and would solve many problems but go fight the money pit legal service. Sill it is a eye opening article.
Mr. Carter’s comments represent the extreme view of a tiny percentage of the population who feel they have been wronged by the CAS.99.9% of us have nothing to fear. Here’s my advice, try being a better parent instead of wasting your time on this crap. It’s worked for me and millions of parents everywhere. I love the publishing of salaries tactic. The woman has a master’s degree and holds an executive position, so yeah she makes a great living. Jealous Mr. Carter? well go get a master’s degree. It sure worked for me.
I don’t understand the repeat comment here, is this spam? or did you repost it Scot?
He states that 120 wards died while under CAS care in 2009. Is this number true? That is more deaths than in the Federal prison system.I would like to know where the writer got that number.
The link provided in this article to what Mr. Vern Beck of Canada Court Watch has written is a real eye opener about what is going on and in it explains the reasons why all of our Children’s Aids should only be allowed to hire licensed social workers who are registered with The Ontario College of Social Workers.
This article also contains a picture of a protest against the Children’s Aid that was held outside our Cambridge courthouse on Main Street.
It’s funny how when we have the proof of all the abuse that is going on in the CAS sytem they seem to show up on these web sites to defend themselves. All they really manage to do is show that we are right and need to have a greater concern for our children’s safety from the system. Scott Lillow’s 99% of happy people that are happy with the way that the system works is a joke and if I was banging a CAS worker I guess that my children would feel safe also. Better hope that you never try to leave her Scott…..Robert that number of 120 children dieing in the system in 2009 came right from the head corner’s office of Ontario and the number is 400 from 2006-2009. The system needs oversight like yesterday and is full of nothing but fraud and corruption. The first foster home that my fifteen year old daughter was placed into the 32 year old foster uncle was paying my daughter for sex. Then at 17 she was selling herself for money. This is what the CAS create and call it in the childs best interest.
That number is VERY high….. many times fewer people have died in police custody in that period of time.Does this number include death from illness, etc. I am not disagreeing with numbers, just that those numbers are out of line with typical childhood mortality rates in Ontario.Is there a link available to these numbers?
Comments #2- #10 less #4 & #7 are the rumblings about CAS I’ve been hearing about for years. Is this possibly a case of an agency that can and has on occasion done good work; finding a way to increase their workloads and hence budgets? Is this an example of perverted empire building at the cost of children and their families? They say that pedophiles carefully pick and choose particularily vulnerable children. Is this a government agency which carefully pick low income families with or without alcohol problems, low education and little social/community support systems? Am I correct in supposing that a child’s broken finger in a high income professional family dosen’t get the same CAS attention as a broken finger in a low income, single parent family etc.? Is this agency guilty of social profiling? If the answer to even one of these questions is yes, then a major overhaul with real accountability is overdue.
Here is a quote from the 2011 pediatric death review committee “The involvement of a Children’s Aid Society did not appear to be a factor in the majority of child deaths and in fact, most children die while in the care of their families. In cases where there was involvement by a Children’s Aid Society, most deaths could not have been foreseen or prevented by the agency.”
Full article
http://www.news.ontario.ca/mcscs/en/2011/06/post-1.html
This a very emotional issue and true discussion deserves a close look at all the facts.While we have some facts , we can also have opinions clouded by emotions at times.
AGM…I believe most if not all CAS investigations are started with a report from 1 a health professional 2 a teacher or person in authority 3 police officer or 4 a concerned private citizen. All of the above by law are required to report any case of suspected abuse or neglect.
While it is true that most CAS investigations are of low income/ underprivileged households, it is because these households are most vulnerable.The reasons are socio-econmic…drug and alcohol abuse is high in these demographics.Sexual and physical abuse is a repetetive pattern handed down from one generation to the next,it is a cycle.These ate generally under-educated families, with little post-secondary education and low high-school graduation rates.These are areas with high crime ,prostitution etc. It is proven that as education rates rise and income opportunities show themselves then the other issues decline.With better socio-economic outlooks, the issues underlying most child abuse / neglect issues are also resolved.
For over 118 years the 53 CAS agencies have been able to run like thieves in the night. They are not accountable to anyone, they are a secret organization that has destroyed the lives of thousands of people. Foster wards are routinely shipped to as many as sometimes 23-25 foster homes while in so called ‘care’, and also are subjected to serious abuse in these homes on a constant basis.
Several pedophile foster abusers have been arrested in the past few years, in fact the RCMP just apprehended a person out west to bring him to trial in Hamilton in a historical case of sexual abuse a mere few weeks ago.
Moreover, Mr. Carter is correct in that a sad number of the victims who have endured being in the clutches of these agencies struggle on many levels; mental health issues, homelessness, poverty, addictions, suicides, and in fact over half end up in prison.
Scott Lillows comment is absolutely ridiculous, patently false and indicative of the crass disregard for reality that so permeates the CAS. It is an old and tired ploy, create hatred for parents and capture their children all while hiding the truth.
Many parents are targetted by them on false charges of child abuse, and many are having their children stolen to provide products for the adoption industry. In fact the Ontario Liberals have now made a bill (Bill 179) that will wipe out parental rights in a collective 120 days. This with a consortium of corrupt, totally out of control and absolutely unaccountable agencies. Frankly, it is chilling as CAS has more power than ever before.
They have been and are also fighting actively against having the Ontario Ombudsman to have oversight of them, something that the Ontario NDP have made four bills for, and that are dedicated to have in the future. The Liberals do not want this oversight as it will impede them being able to kidnap thousands of children to sell to strangers, and the PCs have ignored this as well for the most part, in fact all politicians should be ashamed of letting this festering, pitiful mess continue. At least NDP want someone to probe into them, which is long, long overdue!
CAS should be the subject of a legal inquiry, Ombudsman oversight, and a criminal probe as well.
Robert, the fact that lower income homes are targetted is due to bias, hatred and plain discrimination that the CAS has against families who are struggling. There is also abuse in middle class homes, and high income homes as well, and to suggest otherwise is only perpetuating these agencies. Hating the poor and working poor was how the CAS was started, and their stats are nothing but absolute garbage as well.
Anyone can complain to the CAS. All too often they attack parents who have done nothing, while leaving kids to die and rot in patently obvious cases of abuse including the dangerous foster homes that they use.
The number quoted of 120 deaths in “CAS care” is factually incorrect, but it does not stop Mr Carter and his colleagues from repeatedly claiming it. In 2007, 90 children were reported to have died during the year who had had ANY kind of contact with CAS (out of approximately 1000 children who died in Ontario that year). That 90 deaths included children whose parents may have applied to be foster parents, or had made calls for other services from their local CAS. A total of 19 children actually in the care of a CAS died that year; 12 of those children had severe health issues/ were medically fragile and as such, their deaths were expected and inevitable. So instead of 90 deaths, we are down to 7 … and these deaths included children who died in vehicle accidents, accidental drownings, etc. The numbers for 2008 and later are very similiar.
VERY SINGLE DEATH that occurs of a child who has had any CAS contact is reviewed by a special panel through the Coroner’s office, who have the power to require extensive investigations and reviews, make recommendations that must be followed by back to them by the CAS involved, and where judged to be appropriate, hold a full and public Coroner’s Inquest.
I know these facts because I am an Executive Director of a Children’s Aid Society, in York Region. Mr. Carter and his colleagues, a group of anti-CAS protesters, have had their claims about these numbers of deaths rebutted repeatedly, in writing, but they choose to ignore the facts.
We provide services of one kind or another to over 120,000 families a year in Ontario through locally run Children’s Aid Societies. Doubtless, given that number of situations with which we work, there are some families who are not satisfied with their experience, and who have a number of avenues available to them to raise their concerns.
We are not perfect, we can and do make mistakes. When that happens we should be called to account, and are called to account. The reality is that most clients are grateful for support (our agency’s latest Client Satisfaction Review showed 80% of former clients gave positive reviews and another 10% were neutral in their perspectives). Given that we are often called upon to intervene in very dysfunctional homes, with hostile and aggressive parents, and perhaps even have to remove a child against the expressed wishes of the parents in order to keep that child safe … that isn’t a bad level of support.
Keep expressing your concerns, Mr Carter … but please use facts, not distortions, to do so.
Mr. Lake says that Mr.Carter and his colleagues are a group of anti-CAS protesters. I can tell you Mr.Lake that most of us support the CAS and their mandate. In fact I am a member in good standing of your CAS (York). What we do not support in the fact that Ontario’s 53 CAS’s have no oversight at all. I understand that you actually support government oversight of Ontario’s 53 CAS’s. Hats off to you for stepping up to the plate and setting a good example for the others 52 executive directors in Ontario. As you are well aware there are many workers within the CAS that abuse their powers daily. The fact that a principal in your region (Mr. Baber) is currently being sued for 6 million dollars for holding 2 very young children against their will in a locked room to the point where they soiled their pants all because one of your workers unlawfully instructed him to do this shows just how much harm even your agency can do to children. I would invite to take a sneak peek at a documentary that will be released later this week. I can assure you this will expose alot of the corruption within your and the other 52 CAS’s in Ontario. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRju2KIQvns&feature=player_embedded
My personal experience with CAS was rather shocking.
I contacted them when I knew for certain a parent was physically abusing her child.
CAS contacted the Mother and told her who had reported her (?)
At the time this girl was my daughter in law …I had seen the bruises over the years, but was never sure if she had in fact inflicted them, as the Child could never remember how he obtained them.(?)
A neighbour had reported her a year earlier. I’d witnessed verbal abuse of this child on numerous occasions and did contact CAS at the time telling them, that I knew of the verbal but was not sure of the Physical abuse.
I remember asking the Councilor at the time, if they would work with this girl to teach her the damage she was doing to her son with her words.. They did NOTHING!
When he arrived at our home a year later with a bruise on his forehead and told me his mom kicked him!!
I made a second call..
You can only imagine the hell it caused in my family at the time.
They had also given her the name of the neighbour from the previous year…WTF
This policy would only deter most from exposing abuse…
My second experience was when I worked with someone who was fostering children. Listening to him brag about his nice big house and that he was a Foster Parent and how it afforded he and his wife to live in an upper scale neighbourhood… bragging about his monthly income as a result. I never once got the impression that these children were precious commodities just commodities period.. Does anyone monitor these Foster parents?
I know… not everyone does it just for the pay cheque, but can CAS tell the difference?
What is the protocol they use to test perspective parents?
Why shouldn’t the Ombudsman police CAS.. If there’s nothing to hide why fight it.?
Wow Mr. Wells, thank you for providing this link..
Bottom line is children must be protected, period. No matter what the cost, dented ego, or embarrassment. lf it takes poititions too long to correct these things then they are part of the problem. l dare say if by chance this had happened to one of their children or relatives heads would roll and answers would be found. The vulnerable must be protected. They give an impaired driver a greater penalty and price to pay than they give child abusers. Answers must be found asap. How can we help?
Sunday September 11, 2011
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment on this issue.
Please forgive any spelling and/or grammar errors I may make; for many years now, I write so many letters, freedom of information requests, court affidavits, etc…/week that I believe that my my spelling and grammatical accuracy has suffered.
Where should one begin when attempting to communicate re: the issue of CA$ criminality, fraud, malfeasance, indescribable immorality…
(who uses babies and children as commodities to acquire their blood money 30 pieces of silver salaries!?…no thanks, give me a shovel and point me to an endless pile of horse manure)
…and unspeakable destructiveness:
http://www.fixcas.com/cgi-bin/go.py?2011c.Phillips
CAS Paid by the Child
May 13, 2011 permalink
You don’t believe CAS gets paid to take kids? According to Jim Phillips, Director of Corporate Resources for Waterloo CAS, it’s their only source of funds:
Funding to the Society is based on the volume of cases receiving services. The amount of funding per case does not change. When a family requires services from the Society, the Society receives an allocation of funds which must cover all aspects of service to that family including worker salary, supervisor salary, provision of programs such counselling or educational programs, office supplies’ legal costs etc. This amount is not linked to the number of hours, types of services or other variables impacting the cost of the services to that family.
You can read the whole affidavit (pdf).
http://www.fixcas.com/news/2011/Phillips.pdf
That’s right folks, the gov’t of Ontario has placed a CA$ bounty on the heads of each and every baby, child and youth in this province.
They call it the “funding model.”
Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond and add to this discussion.
And good for you Mr. Lake for breaking the CA$ code of silence re; responding publicly to complaints.
As well, I greatly appreciate you having publicly approved and encourage the continued expression of our concerns.
Rest assured sir, we will.
I’m in the process of completing a comprehensive posting but in the meantime:
Perhaps taking advantage of this current feeling of good will, York CA$ ex. dir. Lake, I request to register some questions with you for public response if I may sir.
Question 1:
What is the name of the insurance company that underwrites the CA$s’ operations?
Question 2:
Have the any of the 52 (?) CA$s of this province ever taken out life insurance policies on either the children it has acquired and possesses in: i) its foster care system or ii) its Crown Ward system?
Question 3:
Let’s just say in the past five years, how much has the York CA$ paid out in lawsuits and/or the settlement of lawsuits?
Question 4:
Are you a registered a social worker and if not, what is your rationale?
As well, if you are what is you rationale?
Question 5:
To your knowledge, has the York CA$ and/or any of its staff ever committed a Criminal Code of Canada (CCC) and/or Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) violation ever?
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90c11_e.htm#BK22
17.(1)A Director,
(a) shall advise and supervise societies;
(b) shall inspect or direct and supervise the inspection of the operation and records of societies;
(c) shall exercise the powers and duties of a society in any area in which no society is functioning;
(d) shall inspect or direct and supervise the inspection of places in which children in the care of societies are placed; and
(e) shall ensure that societies provide the standard of services and follow the procedures and practices required by subsection 15 (4). R.S.O. 1990, c. C.11, s. 17 (1).
(2) Repealed: 2006, c. 5, s. 3.
Prescribed standards, etc.
(4) A society shall,
(a) provide the prescribed standard of services in its performance of its functions; and
(b) follow the prescribed procedures and practices. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.11, s. 15 (4).
(5) Repealed: 2002, c. 18, Sched. D, s. 1.
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/page-160.html#h-105
FRAUD
Fraud
380. (1) Every one who, by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means, whether or not it is a false pretence within the meaning of this Act, defrauds the public or any person, whether ascertained or not, of any property, money or valuable security or any service,
(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding fourteen years, where the subject-matter of the offence is a testamentary instrument or the value of the subject-matter of the offence exceeds five thousand dollars; or
(b) is guilty
(i) of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or
(ii) of an offence punishable on summary conviction,
where the value of the subject-matter of the offence does not exceed five thousand dollars.
Affecting public market
(2) Every one who, by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means, whether or not it is a false pretence within the meaning of this Act, with intent to defraud, affects the public market price of stocks, shares, merchandise or anything that is offered for sale to the public is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 380;
R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 54;
1994, c. 44, s. 25;
1997, c. 18, s. 26;
2004, c. 3, s.
Question 6:
Are you and/or any of your family members (nuclear and/or extended) and/or any of your close friends foster parents $$$$$$$$$$$ (present and/or past)?
Question 7:
i) In the past five years how much has the York CA$ spent on Parenting Capacity Assessments (PCAs)/year?
ii) What have been the names of the assessors; how much have each of the assessors made and what diagnoses have they registered?
Question 8:
In the past five years/year how many children, having been acquired by and in the possession of the York CA$, have died?
Question 9:
In the past five years/year how many babies/year/quarter have been apprehended from hospitals by the York CA$?
Question 10:
i) In the past five years how many babies and/or children and/or youths have been apprehended by the York CA$?
ii) How many/what percentage of those were eventually returned to their families?
Question 11:
i) In the past five years/year how many babies/children/youth, having been acquired and possessed by the York CA$, have been forcibly confined for more than a day?
II) How many “serious occurence reports” have been registered per year and quarter?
Question 12:
In the past five years/year what percentage of babies/children/youth, having been acquired and possessed by the York CA$, have been introduced to psychotropic drugs by the York CA$?
Lucky Question 13:
Has the York CA$ ever conducted secret baby/children auctions which resulted in the York CA$ and/or its staff pocketing the proceeds from those crimes?
I’ll stop there for now.
Chris Carter
@ Thomas,I just had to comment on your impaired driver comment. Just this past summer a CAS by the name of Cynthia Racine was caught driving impared with two foster children in her car with her. This is just one of thousands of examples of how some CAS workers could not give a dam about children. You would think this would be grounds for termination right? Well guess again, Cynthna has been suspended with pay. (your tax $ hard at work) CAS is a privately owned and privately operated company. They need children to stay in business, just like Burger King needs patrons to stay in business. http://www.fixcas.com/cgi-bin/go.py?2011d.Racine2
Scott, I don’t believe in collateral damage and I don’t think workers should continue getting away with abuse coverups and perjury. Do you? We are clear we don’t want to close Children’s Aid but we trying to improve it to remove all the systemic issues surrounding these corporations and we will.
We want an open and transparent system that wilbecomeme accountable. The general public knows something isn’t right at CAS and the CAS even admits they are failing the Children. Go read the Goudge Enquiry or the Bill 17committeeee transcripts on the Ontario Legislature Website.
Anyone trying to stop the Ombudsman from investigating the Children’s Aid, trying to minimize the issues, misleading the public about it are either facing jail, at risk of termination when the day comes or just plain stupid. Ontario is the only province in Canada not allowing investigations of CAS and that is going to change.
It is too late for a child when they are featured at a coroner’s inquest to say the very least, and to suggest that as an oversight measure is not only chilling, but totally ridiculous. No one knows the real stats of the deaths of children given the secrecy of the agencies.
The bottom line is these agencies need Ombudsman oversight, and there can be no reason to prevent this what so ever that makes any sense, other than to protect CAS over the very children in which they allege to serve.
At a minimum CAS also needs to start including both those who foster and those who adopt in child abuse education. They cannot do studies on people and magical tests deeming them eternally safe. It is negligent, totally irresponsible and keeping children at real risk. We do not have ‘forever families’ and that mantra is absolutely unacceptable in this day and age. There is no magical group of superior people that can do no wrong. There has been a lot of abuse in both adoption and foster care, and it must be dealt with to prevent it from happening repeatedly in the future.
There are many things that need to be changed about them as they are systemic issues that have been going on for decades. I hope anyone concerned will support the NDP as they want Ombudsman oversight. The list of dead children in Ontario speaks for itself.
Why can our Ombudsman probe lottery tickets and not the lives of precious children?
I challenge any CAS worker or supporter to say, what I’m saying is false or deliberate misstatement when, I state criminal acts are being committed at Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies by workers and they are not being investigated. Children are dying at a higher rate in care, abuse is and has been covered up, abuse has been found by the courts, innocent parents have lost their children to adoption and foster care and and anyone who says differently is lying. I can prove everything I’m saying in a court of law and would be in court otherwise… is anyone from the “CAS side” willing to go on record and say I’m lying about all these issue? I don’t want you talking like a politician either.. Am I lying yes or no?
I wrote a comment but could not post it for some strange reason but I posted it on Facebook on the Canada court watch page.
Part 1 of 2:
Attention Mr. Patrick Lake:
I for one respect Mr. Carter’s article and work. Mr Carter has been fighting for around six years for Justice not only for him self but for many other children and families.
He has also along with a number of others such as Mr. Vern Beck and Mr. Robert McQuaid of fixcas.com been researching and studying the laws and flaws of Ontario’s Child Protection system:
http://www.canadacourtwatch.com/
http://www.fixcas.com/
Mr Carter along with many other advocates certainly know their way around Ontario’s
Child Protection system. They are not “anti-CAS protesters” They are anti-C.A.S private corporation protesters.
I for one can verify their facts are not “factually incorrect” for I had my own experience with the C.A.S.
While I was in the C.A.S of Muskoka from I was over medicated and abused to an extent that I have repeated nightmares and a very sever case of P.T.S.D Post Trauma Stress Disorder.
Every night I have nightmares of the abuse and overmedicating that I had to endure.
I was abused from my head to my toes covered in bruises and marks and welts from the abuse.
I was on so much medication that I was, (according to the psychiatric ward nurse who treated me) one night away from death. I went to a hospital where my blood was taken and it was found out that I had three times the amount of medication in my system than I should have had. And yet The C.A.S continued to let the Doctor prescribe me the medication. All of my claims of abuse and overmedicated have been backed up by documents and pictures and etc…
Part 2 of 2:
When stated “but they choose to ignore the facts” The only ones who choose to ignore the facts are the Children’s Aid Society’s and their administrations. Including your administration Mr. Patrick Lake.
Citizens of Cambridge may already know Mr. Carter by sight, Beginning in November 2009 until February 20010, Mr. Carter could be seen protesting by him self with his “ children’s Aid Destroys families” sign in front of Cambridge C.A.S office every week day for a few hours at a time.
Part 2 of 2:
When stated “but they choose to ignore the facts” The only ones who choose to ignore the facts are the Children’s Aid Society’s and their administrations. Including your administration Mr. Patrick Lake.
Citizens of Cambridge may already know Mr. Carter by sight, Beginning in November 2009 until February 20010, Mr. Carter could be seen protesting by him self with his “ children’s Aid Destroys families” sign in front of Cambridge C.A.S office every week day for a few hours at a time.
On February 10th 20010 Mr. Carter relocated his protests down to the main street in front of the Cambridge court house: Beginning his protest at around 9:00 am, by about 9:05 am there were four police cruisers pulled up in front of the Cambridge court house, and eight
Waterloo Regional police officers approached Mr. Carter and told him to “cease and desist”
Mr. Carter refused, citing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protection of peaceful assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion and
freedom of conscience:
within one hour Mr Carter had six charges registered against him by the Waterloo regional police. At the following days bail hearing the waterloo regional C.A.S and it’s subservient business partner, the Ontario Court of Justice, were able to impose court ordered terms which are still in place today that prevent Mr. Carter from protesting in front of the two C.A.S’s and the three court houses here in the region of Waterloo.
In response Mr. Carter can now be seen and heard (!) with his “Children’s Aid Destroys Families” sign at the Delta intersection in Cambridge.
How is that for some cold hard facts Mr Patrick Lake.
I will be awaiting a response.
The issue of accountability is a most significant problem here in Ontario where most CAS workers continue to violate the Social Work and Social Services Work Act (1998). Since I published my document called the “unlawful practice of social work in Ontario by CAS worker, I have not had one person officially challenge the conclusions that CAS workers are breaking the law. I sent a copy to the Minister of Children and Youth Services and even she had not challenged my findings.
There are many unanswered questions about accountability
1) Why do most CAS workers not allow their conversations with parents to be recorded? CAS agencies should simply make this policy for their workers to show they are willing to be accountable.
2) Why do CAS workers not record their conversations with children to maintain accurate records?
3) Why do CAS lawyers argue against the rights of parents to record their court proceedings as permitted under section 136(2)(b) of the courts of justice act?
4) Why do CAS agencies not insist that their workers be registered with the College. Anyone knows that the public would feel better knowing that the College is overseeing the workers.
5) Why do CAS agencies and workers go into schools to conduct secret interviews with children in total violation to their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
6) Why do CAS agencies routinely refuse to provide files to parents involved in litigation.
7) Why do CAS group home facilities keep kids in care from taking recording devices into these facilities. Most facilities prevent the children from even having cell phone.
9) Why do CAS agencies pay for services rendered by its own outside referrals but not offer the same amount of money to parents so that parents can seek services from those they trust? As has been seen in the past many of these CAS referrals are nothing more than “hired guns” to come up with findings which support the CAS and go against parents.
These are just some of the questions I thought of while I wrote this post. There are many more questions that need to be answered. Some of the testimony of children and parents can be seen on the Canada Court Watch website at http://www.canadacourtwatch.com
There are many simple and effective ways in which CAS agencies can demonstrate their willingness to be more transparent, especially in the area of having their workers use audio and video recording. Yet most refuse to incorporate these cost saving measures.
Canada Court Watch is currently setting up an ongoing survey site for feedback from parents and children who have been affected by the CAS. Will will soon have some reliable statistics about CAS which will show how accountability needs to be significantly improved.
I have been dealing with Family and Children’s Services for the past 7 months. This is, unfortunately, the second time I have had the “pleasure” of dealing with them.
My first time dealing with FACS was terrible. The absolute worst thing I have ever gone through in my entire life. I was a young mother, and they took advantage of that, and lied and manipulated me and my family, and eventually destroyed the most important thing in my life. My daughter.
November 11th, 2008 I had left my two month old daughter with a family member for the night. He offered to watch her to give me a “break” so I could get some rest and relax a little bit. If only I had known what was going to happen, I would have straight up refused.
November 12th, 2008 I woke up early, even though I was supposed to be taking the day to relax and get some sleep, and went onto MSN. I spoke to my family member, who informed me that “something was wrong with my daughter, and I needed to come pick her up.” I thought he was overreacted, but I got ready, called a cab, and headed over to see what the problem was.
When I arrived, my daughter was unconscious, and her breathing was very shallow. I knew IMMEDIATELY something was seriously wrong, and she needed to be at the hospital. The person I left her with did not call an ambulance, and instead waited for me to come pick her up. This person has children of their own, they should have been more responsible and done something to help her.
If I had not woken up early that day, I’m not sure if he ever would have called an ambulance, or even me. He was irresponsible, and didn’t even try to help her. If I had brought her home with me the night before, she would probably still be alive.
So, once I saw the condition she was in, I rushed her to the hospital. Immediately a “Code Pink” was called, and she was rushed away from me. I sat in a waiting room for almost 2 hours before any doctor came to talk to me. When they did, I was informed that my daughter had suffered head trauma, and was bleeding in her brain.
She would need to be rushed to McMaster Children’s Hospital. I was allowed to see her one time before she was transferred. My heart broke, and I saw my life fall to pieces.
After she was transferred, I was forced to be interviewed by a worker from Family and Children’s Services. I told her exactly, everything that I knew. I told her I had just picked her up a couple of hours ago, and rushed her here. I told her how the caregiver hadn’t done anything to attempt to help her, and how he says nothing happened.
After that, I was allowed to leave, and head up to Hamilton, to monitor the condition of my daughter. When we arrived in Hamilton, we were not allowed to see her. I was heartbroken. I was required to do an interview with a “Child Abuse Unit” of the hospital, go through another evaluation with FACS and speak with a doctor in charge, before I was allowed in her room.
She had a police guard at her door, and was only allowed one visitor at a time. How they could expect anyone to go through this alone… To see their child, in such rough shape, and have no shoulder to cry on, no support, I don’t understand it.
My daughter was put into a medically induced coma. She had a feeding tube through her nose, a catheter, and a ventilator feeding air directly to her lungs. She was swollen everywhere, and her eyes were taped closed. I could barely recognize her. How could this happen to my daughter?
After many interviews with Family and Children’s Services, they decided that they would only allow blood relatives into my daughters room, and still only one at a time.
This was especially unfair because the man who had acted as father to my daughter since before she was born, was not allowed in the room, but my daughters biological father and his family was allowed to see her. Her father and I had split up because he expected me to put her up for adoption, and I refused. Why would they allow him and his family to see her, and not the family that adopted her as part of theirs?
The doctors performed brain scans and blood work on my daughter for a week and a half, and then FACS brought me to court, and forced me to give up my rights to my daughter. She became a Temporary Crown Ward, and they then got a court order to remove her from life support.
November 25th, 2008 they took my daughter off the ventilator. We had our entire family, and everyone who wanted to say goodbye, as well as a Priest present. We had her baptised, and a memory box was prepared. We thought she was going to die that day.
They removed her tube, as I held her in my arms. Holding my breath, I was braced for the worst. Against all expectations, she started to breathe on her own! It was a miracle! She was going to live!
She began to make progress. Moving around, making noises, even reacting to loud noises that we made around her, and our touch. She loved having her feet tickled, and when we did, her mouth would smile just a little bit. We had so much hope. The doctors told us she was going to make it.
Three days later, Family and Children’s Services obtained a court order to remove her feeding tube. They had lied and said she was making no progress, had no brain activity, and no chance at life. They removed her feeding tube later that day, and that’s when all the hell really began.
She was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit, and into a normal ward of the hospital. The only medication that she was given, was morphine. Everytime she made a noise, they assumed she was in pain, and gave her a shot to keep her from making noise. I believe that they were overdosing her.
I was not allowed to bottle feed my daughter, give her water or even bathe her. I was accused of interfering with her death, and threatened to be banned from her room if I even attempted to feed her. The logic was that bathing would hydrate my daughter, and feeding would nourish her, which would offset the “dying process”.
For fifteen days, I watched, alone and horrified, as my daughter was starved to death. Not being able to do anything. Either I could feed her, and never see her again, or I could spend every last second of her life with her, and cherish every minute of it, no matter how hard it was.
As we were in Hamilton, and my family is from Niagara, it was not very often that our blood relatives were able to come see us. They came as often as they could, but seeing my daughter in that condition was hard on them.
She was purple from head to toe, withered down to a skeleton. Her soft spot was completely sunken in, and her eyes as well. After fifteen days of being starved by Family and Children’s Services, on December 9, 2008, my daughter lost her battle, and finally went to God. May she rest in peace.
I hope one day, to get justice for my daughter. To this day, FACS still claims she died as a result of a brain injury…
http://www.fixcas.com/cgi-bin/go.py?2008f.Dec13a
Wow. I guess I hit a nerve here. Sorry Chris, but I also speak my mind. I really enjoyed the massive post on the CCW website. Here’s my question-How can I debate CCW when the administrators delete and block those who speak opinions contrary to those your group espouse? What a onesided position your group presents.
by Jimmy Saver..
Excellent article Mr.Carter, you’re right on the $$ I love the comment how they want you to run for Mayor. It’s a shame some people just could not care about children re: scott lillow. Over 500 children have died in the care of Ontario’s 53 CAS’s in the past 5 years, that seems to be just fine with scott. Very sad. This man quite obviously does not give a dam about children. After googling him seems like he’s been at this for a bit. His gf is a worker with the Muskoka CAS. To bad these CAS workers have to get there bf’s to do their dirty work for them from behind a computer. Chris, your not alone on this issuie. Please debate these scott http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRju2KIQvns http://www.fixcas.com/cgi-bin/go.py?2011a.Lillow And @ Robert, this number is reported by the corners office. That 120 in Ontario alone, not all of Canada.
Wow, amazing. 5 minutes after my post above all the accusatory comments about me are removed from CCW. Tells you a lot about the validity their claims?
Scott all claims regarding CAS are from parents, grandparents, children etc that have been in the care of or have dealt with CAS.
Many former children of foster care are coming forward with their stories. How the group homes/foster homes were worse then what they grew up in. How can you dispute the truth?
Your g/f works for CAS, you probably do too. If things were legit at CAS they wouldn’t have any problems with having accountability, their workers would be registered and they would come out and talk with protestors who by the way are always peaceful. No they choose to fight accountability, not register their workers and they hide or close the offices when their are protesters present. To even an uneducated person this would surely look like they have something to hide.
Mr. Lakes comments about socio economic standings are inaccurate. A lot of homes with abuse are high in numbers with certain professions which place them at the higher economic ladder. I am college and university educated, I worked for many years but due to a acquired brain injury I’m now not able to work. I come from a high middle class family who own their own business. I had to go to CAS for help and support due to my issues but I didn’t receive any help or support from the majority of workers. Although two were extremely helpful, supported and I may add Registered. These workers were quickly moved to other offices and I’ve now only had unregistered workers who have not helped in any way. To say only the poor have abuse, drug and alcohol issues is narrow minded and so wrong.
There were a few phone calls against me during the past 7 years that the workers said were obviously jealousy or hatred based since not one call ended up being true. That is how most people are dealing with CAS; through bogus phone calls usually from an ex, step parent etc.
The amount of deaths contributed to CAS are high; as every death recorded show CAS was involved. So if things worked by their mandate these children would still be alive. I know of a couple of deaths that CAS were called repeatedly but they didn’t do anything and a family member killed them. Those workers deserve jail time as well as the person who killed them.
If they are going to be dealing with children they should be held accountable, have no trouble being registered, follow their own mandate and get their head out of the clouds that they have more power then police, government and court. All they are is a corporation, they are only funded by the government on a by child basis. They will even claim “We will do what we want, where we want. We have our own rules and don’t follow the court or police”.
Thank you Chris Carter and those putting a face to this nightmare.
I am glad to see people commenting on the reality of the mess of these agencies, with the exception of Scott Lillow who appears to be more interested in playing games and berating those who are direly concerned. This is not a game, serious issues plague the CAS, and the nonsense that it does not exist will not work period.
To Gordie Merton, I saw a video of you speaking about your horrific experience in the care of the Muskoka CAS, I want to commend you in particular for speaking out as it is so painful. Your voice would echo thousands who have experienced the same nightmare with these agencies both historically as well as today. The fact that CAS is drugging children illegally is not just morally reprehensible, it is illegal and it needs to be stopped immediately. Normal parents are loath to give a child aspirin when it is not warranted, let alone drugging them into a stupor.
This evil experimentation has also been documented in a front page newspaper story from the Globe and Mail a few years ago, as well as CBC that featured a boy being drugged in a group home on enough medication to kill a small horse while also being sexually abused. Is this care? No, it is not, it is state sanctioned child abuse, and it is simply intolerable that it continue further. I hope you know that many care about this Gordie; and it is a disgusting, pitiful and despicable shame that the Liberals and the CAS let it continue.
I am sure you know this, but in case you ever have a really rough night – this is NOT your fault, this is the fault of the CAS, and it is the fault of politicians who have let them become the monster that they are. THANK YOU for speaking out, you should be respected and listened to, we who have been in this system are the experts, not overpaid administrators, biased and corrupt Liberal consultants, or agencies that have no desire to stop it from continuing.
Patrick Lake – the attitude and sham that most people are happy with the CAS is a falsity beyond description, in fact I have yet to meet any former wards that were happy with the CAS, and most have endured significant abuse. Adoptees have also had a horrendous time as well, there is an equal level of abuse in that too.
And it keeps happening as your agencies are not accountable, nor have they ever been either.
I also have some questions; what are you and the rest of your sister agencies going to do to STOP the illegal drugging of foster children, and what are you going to do to stop abuse in foster care and adoption?
Also if you are accountable, could you please name any worker who has been fired in any one of the 53 CAS agencies for the deaths of a child? Or name anyone that has been fired for leaving a child in a home that is patently dangerous; including natural, foster, adopters?
Instead of seeing young men like Gordie pleading for someone to stop this; it is damn well time that all the agencies start being responsible for the legal duty that you have to children. The public is not going to tolerate any more nonsense, lies or cover-ups. People want Ombudsman oversight, accountability and transparency, no more secrecy, and worse an ever ending display of arrogance, and the “it is not our fault” crockery any longer.
I too endured the CAS and was fostered and adopted via them. For anyone interested I was on a program to discuss the Liberal baby broker bill (Bill 179) that wipes out parental rights in May on a program called ‘Just Right Media’, it discusses the historical context of these agencies; I for one will not be silent in letting another massive abuse of power transpire again. The damage is large, and the will to stop further abuse of children and their real/natural families is even larger.
Jessica, what a heart breaking story you also shared, nothing surprises me what so ever about them; tragic. Ontario needs a real change for the true best interests of children!
This has been going on for years.
I am reminded of a time 10 years ago when my daughter befriended a young 17 year old who had a small baby.
CAS was involved and took the baby away from the Mom..
My daughter (the mother of 3 children )offered her support to take the baby and the Mom into her home
Only be be denied..
I wondered then why CAS would take the child and put him with strangers when my daughter’s home was a safe haven and a familiar location..
NOW I GET IT..
CAS gets government support when the children are in their care..
I also remember CAS calling my daughter on a Sunday asking her if she had the child in her home..
CAS had lost the baby, they had no clue which foster home he was in..
He was later located and placed back with his foster parents, this Mom went thru months of hell before they returned her Child..
Interesting reading on the salary link provided in the letter.
It certainly pays to work for the government in almost any capacity it seems.
Such salaries plus a very good pension plan and health coverage make for some easy living come retirement as well as while you work.
No wonder the UofW study showed I think a 30% disparity between the public and private sector pay scales.
Unions have driven the cost of everything thru the roof and here we pay for it in our taxes.
Funny thing is the more you earn the higher the cost of living is driven because of it.
BTW, neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives or NDP would have power over the ” drugging” of foster children as these and other agencies are at arms length and have powers way beyond imaginable to do the ” right thing”. First hand experience however says that it can be a scary thing to have so much authority without any oversight which is drastically needed.
The Ministry of Child and Youth Services do have the power to do something, and the Ontario Liberals have done NOTHING, and the PCs have been pitiful in ignoring this as well. The NDP have acted by asking for the Ontario Ombudsman to have investigative review over these agencies, and they have been stopped by the Liberals at every turn, and ignored by the PCs.
Governments are directly responsible for the CAS, and they have failed. Ombudsman review is long overdue.
Debbie, it sure has been going on for years, so many have been robbed of their children, and so many families destroyed, your comments are of no surprise, very common for them to just rush to take a child despite familly support etc.. Ontario is a disaster, and the Liberals have made a bill that gives parents no leg to stand on with regards to this at all. In fact parents now have more chance of fighting a parking ticket than they do in fighting CAS for their lawful parental rights, something very wrong with that. Glad to see your comments and others. Very evident that it is a mess.
Monday September 12, 2011
Hi everyone.
Just a brief update.
I spoke with the ex. dir. of the York CA$ today around 1:30 pm.
He stated that he won’t be answering any of the thirteen questions I registered because those questions “are silly and a waste of my time.”
He was very interested, however, in the source of the issue which is implied by “Lucky Question 13.”
I detected fear in his voice.
He actually wanted me to name names.
I don’t think so Mr. Lake.
We argued about the 120 children (under five) who died in CA$ ‘care’ in 2009.
If you’ve read the ordeal related by Jessica Pelissero (comment 33) you perhaps have more insight re: how the CA$s hide the deaths (murders ?) of children in their ‘care.’
I specifically asked Mr. Lake about the issue re: the CA$s taking life insurance policies out on the babies they’ve acquired and possess (both foster kids and Crown Wards) and his response was: “I’m not going to answer that.”
Imagine if we learn that in the Pelissero family’s case that the CA$ had let’s say a $1 000 000.00 life insurance policy on Jessica’s daughter; this raises the very ugly possibility that the CA$ pushed for Jessica’s innocent and precious daughter to die because they stood to profit financially!?!
I know the CA$ is absolutely capable of that and so much more.
We need;
1. public inquiries and criminal probes into the gov’t of Ont.’s CA$/Ontario ‘court’ of ‘justice’ ‘child protection’ litigationfraud.
2. Ombudsman oversight of the gov’t of Ont.’s ‘child protection’ system and the CA$s.
3. official gov’t recognition of the damage they’ve done to innocent and precious children and families and judgments.
More to come for sure…
Chris Carter
Oh yeh, then he got upset and hung up.
These claims are horror stories to the most vulnerable and shouldn’t happen in Canada. Then again a lot of things shouldn’t happen here. Didn’t years ago nuns down East have something like this happen? Then we had the Newfoundland cases of abuse by a Church organization and now this. Where the heck is our government through all this? Why are people not going to jail for these crimes? l don’t understand.
Also one does not have to be in a group to do the right thing.
Thomas, glad you mentioned it (and I am NOT in a group), but yes such a good point you make, CAS was started with a marriage of church and state………………
People should be going to jail as well, but the government we have is………..well it speaks for itself really!