We Ended Up Going Bankrupt Fighting CAS In Court
at a glance
- witness:
- Carol
- gender:
- Female
- age:
- 47
- occupation:
- Mother to 9 children
- location:
- Thunder Bay, Ontario
- agency:
- Children's Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay
- timeframe:
- 1997 - 2001
- ministry:
- Community and Social Services
- minister:
- Janet Ecker (PC) John Baird (PC)
Back in 1997, my youngest son was acting up at school so the school wanted me to take him to our family Physician to get him on Ritalin. The CAS was called and showed up at my house. They interviewed all the kids, bacause one of my kids had said that my other son hit her with a tennis racket while they were playing. The CAS removed the son accused of hitting his sibling with a tennis racket, and put him into foster care. They took him out of our home and placed him with a young guy. They took my child tax credit and they wanted child support from me. They then charged my son as a minor.
The young guy that was suppose to be the foster parent was never home and my son was left unsupervised and hungry. I fought with the CAS to bring him back home. The CAS was trying to get my 11 year old son on sexual assault charges. My husband and I raised 9 children - his, mine and ours. This battle dragged on for months. I finally got my son out of this foster guy's home and had my friend take him, as they would not allow him to come home. I still had to pay money to the CAS for supporting my son. As time went on, the CAS was unsuccessful charging my son with anything. I demanded that he be allowed to come home, as they had nothing on us, or my son. Their answer was that my husband and I would have to take a parenting course. We wouldn't agree because we had raised nine children and had no problems until the CAS stuck their nose in our business.
They took us to court and it was remand after remand, until finally our lawyer said to the judge, "Enough is enough! What does this agency have on my clients?" The CAS told the judge, 'We have nothing yet, but we'll find something'. Again, months go by and finally the judge asked the CAS, 'What do you have on this family?' The CAS said, "Nothing." So the judge told them enough was enough and to leave us alone. The CAS were not happy and told us they have unlimited funds, and that they'll get us somehow. Meanwhile, we ended up going bankrupt. The CAS kept us in court for so long our lawyer bill was crazy. Other bills were getting behind etc...They never returned our son. My son is 28 years old now and the CAS has never left him alone. Today, he has 2 kids of his own, and the nightmare with CAS has not stopped for him.
Source: Esther Bucakreff
