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RE: Ontario Ombudsman regarding Bill 210

Dear Ms. ____________ (or Mr.)

On December 6th, 2005, Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin went before the Social Policy Committee requesting permission for his office to investigate Children's Aid Societies. As an Ontario tax payer of government employees' salaries, I believe granting this request would ensure that these organizations are held accountable for their actions when placing children. We are paying them to perform a service; to do a job, and it has become very apparent that they are not properly fulfilling their role as society's protectors of children.

If the office of the Ontario Ombudsman is authorized to investigate claims against CAS, Ontario will be taking a big step in becoming equal with the rest of Canada regarding child welfare. The Ombudsman of every other province in this country except Quebec already has this authority and are all currently moving forward to increase the Ombudsman's position to investigate the child welfare system.

As it stands currently in Ontario, CAS organizations are funded publicly but are only accountable to their Board of Directors. We, as taxpayers pay their salaries, however they do not have to answer to the public for wrong doing or gross misconduct! I personally do not know of any government run organization that has quite the same ultimate power and ability to do just about anything they please with no questions asked. Mr. Marin stated in his presentation to the committee that: 'The Province of Ontario provides over 1 billion dollars to fund child protection services through 53 independent Children’s Aid Societies yet fails to provide the checks and balances that would ensure that administrative decisions taken by these Societies, which have life and death impact on children in need, be exposed to independent investigation.'

The public is questioning the child welfare organizations and the government now and we are demanding answers.

I encourage you to show your support to Mr. Marin by assisting him with his request to the Social Policy Committee in any way possible.

Please feel free to contact me anytime.

Sincerely,

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