April 5, 2006
GIVE OMBUDSMAN OVERSIGHT IN FORBIDDEN KEY AREAS
Queen's Park - Ontario
New Democrats are pushing a legislative package thatwould give the provincial Ombudsman powers to better protect Ontarians when government institutions fail them. NDP Critic for Children and Youth Issues, Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath,and Trinity-Spadina MPP Rosario Marchese, the party's Education Critic,unveiled a trio of private members bills they'll introduce today. They want the government to adopt the entire package and give people a fair opportunity to appeal unjust decisions.
"We believe the Ombudsman should have a broad and unfettered mandate.There's no reason why a government should stand in the way of the Ombudsman's investigation of any problem," said Marchese. "Getting to the bottom of complaints about schools, health care facilities and children's welfare is the right thing to do for kids' sake and foreveryone's sake," Horwath said.
Horwath is proposing two new laws giving the Ombudsman the currently forbidden power to investigate matters concerning the administration of Children's Aid Societies and hospital and health care facilities. Five provinces - Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and NovaScotia - have Ombudsman oversight of child welfare issues, including child protection. Saskatchewan, Quebec and Newfoundland have independent oversight through separate offices. Eight jurisdictions in Canada --British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador,Quebec, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Yukon Territories -- give their Ombudsman Offices the mandate to investigate hospitals. Concerning schoolsand boards, the Ombudsman has a role in BC, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Yukon.
In December, Ontario Ombudsman André Marin told a government committee hewas "duty-bound" to seek independent oversight of CAS administrativedecisions following the death of Jeffrey Baldwin.
Currently, the CAS board of directors investigates complaints.
Similarly, the government doesn't let the Ombudsman investigate problems inhealth care or education, said Marchese. His private members bill wouldenable the Ombudsman to investigate complaints relating to school boardpolicies, such as suspensions and expulsions under the controversial SafeSchools Act. "It is vital that people have a neutral third party who can investigate andmake recommendations. Just because the government won't listen, doesn't meanpeople don't deserve to be heard," he said. "Independent oversight is crucial for families dealing with the harsh and heart-wrenching impact of decisions that adversely affect them," said Horwath. -30-
About Me
- Amanda
- My goal is to have all Children's Aid Societies held accountable for their actions when placing or removing a child. They are responsible for societies most innocent, vulnerable and important citizens and should not forget this when making decisions on children's behalf. They are playing god to these children with absolutely no one to question their actions or motives. It is past time that tax payers, parents, and citizens of Canadian society stand up against the 'Canadian Mofia' and say enough is enough. Thank you for visiting this blog! I welcome all comments, suggestions and news updates! jeffreys_law@hotmail.com
34 comments:
Giving the Ombudsman oversight is a good first step - but only that. Other provinces that do have ombudsman oversight have also had huge CAS abuse problems that were swept under the rug. That wouldn't happen with Mr. Marin, but as he himself commented, his office is largely defined by the character of the individual holding it. My fear is that if anything like this went through (and that's very unlikely due to the balance of power in government) it would immediately become necessary to get rid of Mr. Marin for someone that would do nothing. The silver lining in this may be that given all the media attention of late, the government's refusal to grant oversight will bring more negative attention of the system.
Mr. Marin is an officer of parliament who can only be removed by vote of the legislative assembly and then again only if there is cause which means he would have to commit an act tantamount to a criminal act. He can't be fired by the government. He still has 4 years left to his term. Here's section 4 of the Ombudsman Act: Term of office and removal
4. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Ombudsman shall hold office for a term of five years and may be reappointed for a further term or terms, but is removable at any time for cause by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on the address of the Assembly. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.6, s. 4 (1); 1999, c. 5, s. 4 (1).
yes we are going to hold a rally for sure, so Amanda please email the Fifth Estate and have them attend and whoever else you can get out from the media or otherwise to support our cause.
That rally should include the NEED for Ombudsmans oversight.
That's good news Marin can't be fired. But what about other ways of making it impossible for him to move forward?
Dale Ann Freed is writing a piece for tomorrow's Toronto Star. Email her dfreed@torstar.ca or call her 416 586 4436 now! The more publicity she gives this in the early morning, the more profile to the rally!!
I e-mailed every media contact I have about the rally... so sorry I can't be there! Good luck!
Amanda
Check page 19 of the Star - Ombudsman publishes OP ED on the need for CAS oversight!!
Jeffrey Baldwin deserved better protection
The kind of systemic failings that contributed to boy's death are precisely the kinds of things the Ontario ombudsman's office is equipped to fix, says André Marin
Apr. 7, 2006.
Some say that the best thing about an ombudsman's office is its ability to solve government problems efficiently and inexpensively. There is something to that.
Ombudsman Ontario processes 23,000 complaints a year, with a budget comprising less than .012 per cent of government spending.
To be sure, some of these complaints are minor but many are not. Many have the potential if not addressed effectively to lead to rancorous and protracted litigation or even to public inquiries.
As masterful as Justice Bellamy's MFP computer leasing inquiries were, they cost $19.2 million — more than twice our annual budget — and they dealt with the kinds of issues that if complained about early could have been eliminated using the kind of tools my office has.
As important as efficiency and cost-effectiveness are though, they are not the best thing about having an ombudsman; solving human problems, even preventing tragedy, is.
One of the first cases I worked on involved a young man who was being saved by a miracle drug from a degenerative brain disease that had been stealing both his health and his mind. His parents were facing virtual poverty trying to fund his treatment, since Ontario would not.
We exposed bureaucratic intransigence and changed this. Our work also enabled dedicated parents who cannot afford residential treatment for their children to secure it without the indignity of having to relinquish custody to the Children's Aid Society on the pretence that they are unfit to care for their children.
Our efforts in another case pushed aside decades of inaction to secure broad-based newborn screening that will not only save hundreds of children from suffering preventable diseases, it will save lives.
I need think only of the misery and death of Jeffrey Baldwin to realize the true value in having the kind of vital and robust ombudsman's office that we have in Ontario.
At the same time, however, I am struck with immense frustration, as my office cannot investigate cases like Jeffrey's because of the limits of its jurisdiction.
Even though Children's Aid Societies use public money to fulfill the state function of caring for children in need of protection, and their mandate is set by provincial legislation, they do not come under my office's mandate merely for the technical reason that they are not deemed "governmental organizations."
While there are courts with narrow jurisdiction, community boards without powers of investigation, ministerial reviews, and coroners to investigate when the unthinkable happens, there is no independent oversight mechanism mandated to uncover bureaucratic failings and potentially prevent tragedies before they occur.
Jeffrey Baldwin died in the care of his grandmother, a mentally defective woman who had been convicted of child abuse years before when her own daughter died, and of his grandfather, a man with a child abuse record of his own.
Jeffrey was with them because the CAS did not have procedures in place to deal with child placement with family members.
No background checks were conducted. No files were reviewed. It was assumed that because they were "family," that was protection enough.
Even if the CAS had checked, it is not clear whether this would have made a difference.
It boggles the mind.
This is a classic example of systemic breakdown. It is maladministration with grave consequences.
It would be unfair of me to suggest that Jeffrey could have been spared his terrible death if my office had jurisdiction over CAS.
The kind of systemic failings, however, that contributed to his death are precisely the kinds of things we are equipped to fix.
I can say that oversight by my office has the potential to uncover and remedy systemic failings that could prevent other vulnerable children from suffering a similar terrible fate.
This is why I am calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty's government to give Ontario independent and effective oversight over private or semi-private organizations that provide governmental services using public money — such as schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities and child protection services.
These institutions are outside the net of effective external oversight not because of discrete public policy reasons but merely because of happenstance, accidents of history, the downloading of services, and privatization.
As a result, the average citizen is left in the lurch.
Instead of having access to an independent, impartial investigator with the ability to get to the bottom of things and root out problems, the "little guy" is left to his own devices or the often weak and self-serving complaints mechanism offered by these organizations, if they even exist.
In November 2004, the auditor-general's jurisdiction was expanded to permit the auditor to conduct value for money audits over such bodies, recognizing that, along with government funding for providing public services, also comes accountability.
If you are going to insist on the financial accountability of these organizations, why not make them accountable also for the administrative decisions they make with public funds, decisions that have a direct and palpable impact on citizens?
Not only has the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman not evolved in 30 years but, over time, the reach of the office's oversight powers has slowly been eroded with the divesting of government authority to private and community organizations.
The failure to keep up with the times and with the changing face of government has meant that Ontario has fallen significantly behind other provinces in the oversight field.
Seven other provinces have Ombudsman oversight of hospitals and other health-care bodies, three others have Ombudsman oversight of private child protection agencies and four have Ombudsman jurisdiction over school boards and municipalities.
Others have modernized and expanded their Ombudsman's mandate, where our mandate has stagnated to the detriment of the citizens of Ontario.
As a result, we are now sitting at the back of the oversight pack. Not something to be proud of in an era where accountability is so high on the stated public agenda.
Let's move to the front of the line. Let's make sure that little Jeffrey did not die in vain.
André Marin is Ombudsman of Ontario.
Jeffrey Baldwin was a sweet, innocent lamb that was sent to a slaughter by an agency responsible for child protection. This case is simply to inexcusable to let go of. The Toronto CCAS royally messed up here, and this little sweetheart is dead. It is up to all of us to ensure that his death was not in vain, and up to all of us to demand CAS accountability. On CP24 news they repeat the news often, and they keep showing the pictures of this little angel. It should make your heart seer with pain for this child. It should prompt anyone who cares about children to be enraged.
I wonder if his spirit knows how big he really is. I hope so.
Andre Marin is a wonderful man who has passion, intelligence and true efforts for Ontario citizens. His editorial was very well said, and very well done. We are lucky in Ontario to have an Ombudsman as fair, and as insightful as Mr. Marin. He has really shown his true care for Jeffrey unlike so many politicians that appear to want to sweep this horror under the rug. Andrea Horwath is also to be commended. I am very happy to know that her bill passed first reading. Andrea Horwath has also been very caring about Jeffrey and has been fighting to get CAS oversight for that precious little angel. BRAVO TO BOTH OF THEM!!!
Once again to Amanda bravo for your efforts. All that you have done for Jeffrey is to be commended. As a loving mother of a beautiful little boy you extended your love and compassion to Jeffrey - you made a memorial for him, wrote a poem that says it all, created this website and continue to be a champion for this little fellow. It restores one's faith in humanity to know that someone has cared so much.
I couldn't sleep last night, nor can I focus today. I think I cried so much, that eventually I had no tears left. My eyes are still burning. My mom read me her impact statement. I think it made it even worse. I know she was scared to go. I know she is scared now. 5mins to 9am. I can't eat. I can't breath. It's like getting kicked in the stomach over and over. It's like your numb, and only your heart has feeling. I'm so scared. Afraid that they will walk. Canada has this thing about dead time. My cell phone is on. I looked at it several times. Jeffrey this is for you. No matter what, this is for you. Last night I told my mom that soemtimes it happens that one must be sacrificed for millions. I just can't help but think, he wasn't the only one. Many thousands of children since the CCAS and CAS begun, children have been passed around. Jeffrey will never be forgotten. When this is all over we will still feel grief. Jeffrey will never have christmas, nor birthdays, nor any other happy thing in his life. I will never know what it was like to hug him. Man it's too much! The most important thing I can say about my other nieces, is that I will never never let them go, nor will I let them down. You can't think "Oh i'll see them tomorrow!!" Because sometimes tomorrow is too late. I love my little nieces all 5 of them. Also the 3 boys (including Jeffrey). Poor babies. I try to rationalize the tradgety. I try to find some meaning. Here's what I came up with. There is no excuse for why they did this. people say there are medigating factors, such as: past abuse from their own families, lack of education, lack of phychological help, and most importantly lack of good judgement from the judge that dealt with Eve when she lost her first baby, and also when they were charged. You know, I've been throught my share of pain, and I have not had a father, I grew up poor and did without a lot. But here I am. I love children, I love my life, I love everyday I spend with people, even when they are nasty! I graduated high school, and then went to college. I bought my own car, and then a home. No one helped me, no one gave me a hand up. I fought for this life. Somethig diferent so my children don't have to suffer. Soon I will get married to an awesome man. Who has supported me through everything. And on that day, the most happiest day of my life, I will be happy and not feel guilty. I will be happy because I will give my children a better life. I will be happy because I was blessed with a great man. I will never forget Jeffrey. I will always hurt, but I am allowed to be happy. Jeffrey I know you're not suffering anymore. I know you will never feel that pain again. I know one day I will see you, and you will be perfect. I'm sorry a system that is put in place to protect you failed. I'm sorry that adults were too busy to think you were worth anything. I'm sorry that my brother was weak and did not fight and give his life for you. I'm sorry your mother was raised by monsters and she truned out the same. I'm sorry that you lost your brother babies. I'm sorry that you will have to live with this for the rest of your lives. And the people who were suppose to protect now won't let you go to the family who loves you very much! The family who would protect you from this cruel world. One day if give the chance I will meet those babies, and I will tell them the truth. No matter how they are I will take them and protect them. I will tell them everyday how much they mean to me, and how I am nothing without them. I hope they know that they are stronger then me. That they are better then I am. I hope they know that I will always love them even though they are hidden away. I wish I could hug them and tell them about us. I wish I could tell them about grandma. About the tears she has shed since the day the door was slammed in her face. Since the time her heart was riped out of her chest. How she felt when she heard that Jeffrey went home to heaven. I LOVE you!
I don't think the Ombudsman can be fired easily, and thankfully his term is not over for 4 years. What is interesting is that the Ontario IPC has gotten away with many things that has enraged the public, and she is still in office. It is not easy to remove either of these positions. With the IPC she should be removed, and many people want her to be.
The Ombudsman is there for the public and truly cares.
To Jeffrey's aunt I am very sorry for the loss of your nephew. I cannot imagine how painful this is for you and all of your family that loved Jeffrey. I hope that you continue to speak out about this. Society cannot blame people who were never allowed to even see him for this tragedy and those who were barred from ever seeing him are certainly not to blame for this horrifying case. If there is any comfort please know that many people will not let your nephew die in vain. I hope that at least helps at this very difficult time.
To Jeffrey's aunt - I hope that he knows how big his spirit really is, and how important he really is.
The Catholic CCAS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON TRIAL FOR JEFFREYS CASE AS WELL. That in and of itself is an outrage. There response to this has been arrogant, unconvincing, and deeply disturbing.
It seems that they are never responsible, and that they act above the law - be it man's rules, God's rules or anything else this agency seems to be an entity all on its own. For over 100 years it has not answered to anyone, nor has the sister agencies of it - the 52 other CAS agencies of Ontario. For anyone reading this is it not insain that agencies orchestrated in the late 1800's are above the law or any oversight at all? The Ombudsman MUST be given investigative powers here - if not the CAS will simply start another massive witch hunt for children. They have already done this make no mistake about it. One day their crimes will be told in an open court and in a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Amanda - thanks for emailing all the media - well done. This is a very important story and Jeffrey deserves that his tragic story be told across Canada.
CCAS SHOULD be on trial! Write to Chief coroner Jim Cairns and ask for an inquiry to be called following the sentencing today! They have never once said they were wrong, sorry or have claimed any other sort of responsibility for Jeffrey's death- all involved should be fired and charged and sent directly to JAIL!
I wonder if Dale Anne Freed's article on kinship care morphed into this article from today's Toronto Star.
It looks like a step forward in matters of CAS accountability, although Dr. Cairnes comments suggest CAS is free to accept or reject what it wants. I also find Jeanette Lewis' statement objectionable as she has done everything possible to avoid shining light on the system.
Child death details to be public
Change made in response to 5-year-old Toronto boy's death
Coroner's office given mandate by provincial government
Apr. 7, 2006. 01:00 AM
DALE ANNE FREED AND NICK PRON
STAFF REPORTERS
The Ontario coroner's office is set to begin publicly disclosing the details of all suspicious child deaths in the province, the Toronto Star has learned.
The move, effective immediately, will blow the lid off the secrecy that previously surrounded such deaths. Provincial coroners investigate about 230 child deaths annually; about 20 are deemed suspicious.
The change was prompted by the death of 5-year-old Jeffrey Baldwin, who died on Nov. 30, 2002, in what has been called perhaps the worst case of child malnutrition seen in Canada.
Jeffrey's maternal grandparents, Elva Bottineau and Norman Kidman, were charged with first-degree murder in the boy's death. After a four-month trial without a jury that ended early this year, Justice David Watt is expected to deliver his verdict today. An inquest is also expected to be called.
"There are lots of lessons that can be learned by children's aid societies about what types of deaths occur while children are in their care and what can be done about them," deputy coroner Dr. Jim Cairns said in an interview.
Prior to the new mandate from the provincial government, "that information has not been getting to them, to the children's aid community in Ontario" said Cairns, chair of the Pediatric Death Review Committee, which falls under the chief coroner's office. The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is giving the committee $100,000 to carry out statistical analyses on child deaths.
"We'll be able to look at recurring themes of child deaths. Cairns said. If children's aid societies take recommendations from this report, they might be able to change their policies and practices, and prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future,"
The latest development was welcomed by Jeanette Lewis, executive director of the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies.
"The system needs to learn from horrible cases such as Jeffrey's," she said.
Today's verdict at the University Ave. courthouse comes as MPP Andrea Horwath (NDP-Hamilton East) is calling on the province to give its ombudsman the power to investigate complaints involving Ontario's 53 children's aid societies.
The bill passed first reading on Wednesday.
"In Ontario, there is no independent investigative avenue for people to turn to complain about the children's aid socities," Ombudsman André Marin said in an interview.
"Here you have a huge bureaucracy, swallowing $1.5 billion of provincial money and handling the most vulnerable of children in society, yet outside the reach of oversight."
Jeffrey, two sisters and a brother were given to Bottineau and Kidman under court orders after allegations of abuse were made against their parents.
The Catholic Children's Aid Society was aware that the court had awarded kinship care to Bottineau and Kidman, although its own records stated that both were convicted child abusers, the trial heard. Those same records described Bottineau as an "incompetent parent" and "a danger to herself and others," and Kidman a person who was easily overwhelmed by the demands of children.
But, as the trial heard, that damning information was never given to the court when Jeffrey and his siblings were given to Bottineau and Kidman because "its records were not checked."
Jeffrey, heavier than most babies at birth, weighed just 21 pounds when he died, about the weight of a 10-month-old infant.
He was never toilet-trained. At night, he and a sister were locked in their bedroom, which also became their bathroom. His body was covered in sores and rashes when emergency crews were called to his east-end home, the court was told.
The official cause of death was septic shock, his body afflicted with bacterial pneumonia.
Under a new directive from the province following his death, criminal background checks are now done in kinship-care cases such as Jeffrey's, Cairns said.
Mike Davis, the lead homicide detective on the case who has since retired from the Toronto police force, said there should be a public inquiry.
"Our society has let this child down. It's a travesty," Davis said.
Following today's verdict, a public rally is planned for outside the courthouse, said organizer Amanda Reed.
You know I was thinking of something today. It was about a couple of weeks ago when Paul McCartny was speaking out against killing seals. What about children. No offence people, but i think a human life is waaaaaaaaaaaay more important then seals. Let's be honest. No one wants to talk about this issue cause they know then they have to come to the realization that so many have died from neglect from a country full of freedom and Human Rights. The human Rights Commission should be involved with this. Jeffrey's most important Human Right was violated when he did not receive nutirtious food. Is that not one of the rights of children. Also education, safe environment. Come on people CAS CCAS makes agencies that take their kids sign all these papers, they're hypocrits. They don't even protect they're own kids. Yet if something happens in a group home they freak and take the kid out. Why can't we as a public if we see mistreatment or a violation of a childs right, why can't we go and take them away. It's like who will police the police. Who will take the cjildren away from the people who are suppose to take them away from abuse? We live in Canada. In Canada people. These children were born in one of the riches countries in the world. We see commercials to halp save kids from poverty in other countries, HELLO................Look around. Start with your home first. Start with the children who suffer around in this country. I'm not saying we should never. But how can one country help another, when they can't even help themselves. Really!! How can they give money to other countries when they can't even supoort mother's who are struggling and children that are suffering. Let's first help the mothers get on they're feet. let's first not be ignorant to the truth. The TRUTH is we can help prevent cases like my nephew. We can help prevent this stuff. We have counsellors coming out the ying yang! We need to teach our children this story, we need to let them know that it is not exceptable. that a huge agency full of adults should not have let this happen. SHAME!! SHAME!! Shame that I live in this country. Shame that I pay taxs to a government that would rather run and hide instead of facing the music and sucking it up. they're kids life people. Innocent lives that have been forgotten. I wonder how they would feel then if it was they're family. it would probably get brushed under the carpet. I can't believe that we're even fighting for this, I can't believe my nephew is dead. In this country. Shame! Shame. To all the officials and the people at CCAS and CAS! Shame to you. I hope no one will ever feel our pain, but unfortunately due to lack of a heart, lack of conviction, it won't end. It won't ever end until it's all over. There is probably children out there that have died that we don't even know about. It's Canada's dirty little secrets! Shame!
Aunt Amanda
CCAS SHOULD be on trial! Write to Chief coroner Jim Cairns and ask for an inquiry to be called following the sentencing today! They have never once said they were wrong, sorry or have claimed any other sort of responsibility for Jeffrey's death- all involved should be fired and charged and sent directly to JAIL!
WELL SAID Amanda - they have never said they are sorry, they have done nothing in this entire case but run from their responsibility. They do indeed need to be fired and some as well sent to jail.
To the poster that said "It looks like a step forward in matters of CAS accountability, although Dr. Cairnes comments suggest CAS is free to accept or reject what it wants. I also find Jeanette Lewis' statement objectionable as she has done everything possible to avoid shining light on the system."
YES you are right Jeanette Lewis is the hired spin doctor of the OACAS. And in some perverse way one cannnot help but wonder if these agencies actually are being silent as they do NOT WANT KINSHIP CARE. They do not want this because it directly interferes with their business of providing strangers with other people's children. They do not want fathers to have rights, aunts or uncles or anyone else to have custody of their own flesh and blood because their clients will not get their "products". The silence about Jeffrey from many of these agencies to me is calculated and in some ways perhaps they actually like this case as it makes kinship care suspect - and they want families to be suspect, to be reviled, to be hated. After all the more families destroyed the more children for their industry. Sound insain - it has ALREADY happpened.
In Hansard they already have a CAS director bashing kinship care - I suppose shipping children to infertile strangers based on myopic, and one-sided "homestudies" is better? They want the re-kindling of their old industry back - after all healthy white newborns are drying up in the market - forcing their sad and sorry clients to buy children from China for $30,000 a head.
Many people want your baby in this Province and your children. The CAS wants them to.
How it is that we have come to a time in history where families are this hated is no surprise - we seem to hate the poor, the disabled, the vulnerable. The CAS has not helped families in the past, they have done all they can to destroy them - and all done in secrecy, all done with no accountability and all done under the "guise" child protection.
How is it that we have more empathy for infertile couples then we do for real mothers and fathers who have lost their babies to the CAS? How is it that the rights of children to their families have been and are being trumped by the mere "desires" of others, and why is it that we value children never seeing their families as an answer to anything.
The great witch hunt will not be forgotten - it will be exposed. A child's best interest is not being a cashcow for the adoption industry with their parents stripped of all rights and villified by all of society. Many had their children taken under deceitful acts of fraud and coercion, and many still have them taken in this way.
In actual cases of child abuse children need to be protected but that is a far cry from the things that have went on with the CAS, and that are still going on to this very day.
It is more then time for them to be exposed, it is more then time for those agencies to answer to those who they have destroyed.
Having the Ombudsman investigate them is the very least in what should happen here.
To Jeffrey's Aunt Amanda - what the public does not know about the CAS is vast, ugly, dark and huge. I am sure there are many dead children who were under their care, and also the numbers of those abused in foster care and adoption are simply stunning in scope.
The problem is the public listens to these agencies, the media listens to these agencies and they deem themselves as being the experts.
Someone suggested walking the streets and asking the homeless if they were ever in foster care- they are quite right to suggest this as I think it would be shocking to see how very grim this system has been, and still is.
The bottom line here is that the ONLY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT CAS OVERSIGHT IS THE CAS THEMSELVES???
That says it all doesn't it. If it is so wonderful why are they deathly afraid of oversight?
Why did the government "adopt" a clause written by the former chief legal defense of the Toronto CCAS in a bill that alleges to protect children? Why are various CAS agencies being sued in Ontario? Why are groups asking for an inquiry into the past and present of the CAS? Why are the CAS files "sealed" ever from those in which they directly pertain to? It is the ONLY system on earth where one cannot see a file that is directly pertaining to their personal lives.
Was it all a lovely system that acted in the best interests of the child? Did they "save" children in the past - or place them in incredible danger?
If they failed Jeffrey how many others did they fail? How many others do they still fail?
And these agencies would LOVE NOTHING MORE then for the media to join them in hating families for their own agenda. To them it is NEVER foster parents or adoptive parents that were or are "unsafe" it is only normal families. They launch the myth that strangers are safer, they do homestudies that are marginally intelligent at best, and they market all of this to the public as a safety net. But when kids like Jeffrey are killed due to them they run, they hide, they conceal. They tried to hide 30 files of information in this case. Is that being responsible?
Jeffrey Baldwin - may you rest in peace, you are a precious angel. I hope that the wicked, and evil people that killed you are sentenced to life without parole!!!
Note to Jeanette Lewis:
How self-serving of you to suggest the system needs to learn from horrible cases such as Jeffrey Baldwins.
CAS has a long history of children who have died in its custody. At no time has the agency demonstrated interest in learning anything, except how to increase its budget.
How incompetent must CAS be to be so clueless before such incidents occur?
How hypocritical must it be to destroy lives over inconsequential matters while condemning children to death, severe abuse and life-long trauma because of your negligence?
It's shocking to hear a woman in your position make calculated statements that are intended to sound appropriate but only confirm your ineptness.
If you have anything to learn, it's that a system administered by such clueless fools causes incredible damage to children.
What is chilling is that the murderer of Jeffrey was a foster mother to other children - as the CCAS allowed her to babysit them. One wonders what transpired with those children, where they are and how they are faring. This parasite was a convicted child abuser and not only did they give her and the husband custody of Jeffrey and his siblings but this wicked couple were approved caregivers to other children by the CCAS. It is so sad that Jeffrey died, and that the other children will suffer from being in that hell house. I am sure the CCAS will never want the public to know about the other children that she took "care" of either.
That is a very good point. Mary McConville claims to deeply regret what happened to Jeffrey Baldwin knowing CCAS could have done more. Ironically, her crocodile tears do not extend to other children CAS placed with the grandparents that the agency let down by refusing to deal with abuse allegations.
McConville only expresses sorrow when CAS incompetence is too widely known to ignore.
Exactly - and it is a farce all of it and more. IF THEY CARED THEY WOULD WELCOME THE OMBUDSMAN. But the child abduction society never wants to hear scrutiny - it is never their fault. They have had no accountability for over 100 YEARS SINCE KELSO STARTED THIS WITCH HUNT.
What rally? There was no rally!
No excuses--you had Amanda notify the media for what?
How inconsiderate of you--you know who you are.
Why is Jefferys siblings not with his fathers mother??they should be.
Excellent question. I wish I knew the answer.
I think they should be with his grandmother and family as well - it is wrong for everyone to be so hard on them. They couldn't even see the little fellow, and they did not kill him the other grandmother did.
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