Search This Blog

Search This Blog

Search This Blog

Translate

Friday, June 09, 2006

Baldwin grandparents sentenced to life in prison
Updated Fri. Jun. 9 2006 1:07 PM ETCTV.ca

Toronto grandparents found guilty of second-degree murder in the starving death of their five-year-old grandson have been sentenced to life in prison with no hope for parole for at least 20 years.Elva Bottineau, 54, was sentenced to 22 years before becoming eligible parole, while her common-law husband Norman Kidman, 53, was handed 20 years, said Superior Court Justice David Watt."The inhumanity revealed here has shocked the community," Watt said. "They must pay a very steep price."But the couple will be eligible to apply to have their sentences lowered after just 15 years under the so-called faint hope clause.Reaction to sentencesCrown Attorney Paul Culver was pleased with the sentences."It was a great judicial reaction to an indescribable situation. Jeffrey was totally ignored during his life and certainly wasn't afterwards. It was a great investigation, a great prosecution," Culver said shortly after the sentencing.Second-degree murder carries an automatic life term, but the judge could have set parole eligibility after as little as 10 years.Bottineau and Kidman were found guilty in April for the death of five-year-old Jeffrey Baldwin.The horrid living conditions that led to Baldwin's death in 2002 have been described as one of the worst cases of child abuse in the country's history.Jeffrey and his siblings were put in the care of Bottineau and Kidman while the Catholic Children's Aid Society (CCAS) probed allegations of abuse by their birth parents.Instead, court heard the couple used Jeffrey and his sister to draw income through government support cheques while they were confined to a cold, fetid room each night.Court was told Jeffrey was hidden away in the unheated bedroom for as long as 14 hours a day, and forced to dig through garbage to find food and use the toilet for drinking water.The boy, who was called "Pig" by his grandparents, weighed an emaciated 21 pounds when he died just short of his sixth birthday in November 2002, weighing less than he did when he turned one.Officially, he died of starvation and septic shock.Worried about futureJeffrey's maternal grandmother said she wonders about the suffering the boy experienced and worries about how his sister will deal with what she experienced."I can't imagine what he must have felt," Susan Dimitriades said Friday. "I can't imagine how he lived under that condition and his sister too. Like the judge said, the sister has to deal with what happened to her, and maybe the rest of her life will never be the same."When authorities rescued Jeffrey's sister from the squalor, she too was showing signs of starvation with a distended belly and open sores.Bottineau and Kidman were also found guilty of forcible confinement for the sister's care.Although Jeffrey and his sister lived in squalor, the living quarters for the other children were normal, court was told.Bottineau's lawyer Anil Kapoor, had argued his client was mentally handicapped with a personality disorder that prevented her from seeing Jeffrey waste away.
No cooperation
Homicide investigator Mike Davis expressed frustration with the CCAS outside the courthouse Friday. He said the agency provided "little - if any - cooperation" during the investigation of Jeffrey's death.Davis said there are "policies and procedures" for organizations such as police and the CCAS, "and at no time did I see any cooperation whatsoever with the Catholic Children's Aid Society.""This is something that only a public inquiry can look into and look into the systemic issues that are underlying with the Catholic Children's Aid Society," Davis said."We were and continue to be shocked and surprised by the level of cooperation that was given by the various children's agencies," Culver said.After last month's guilty verdict, Ontario's chief coroner announced an inquest will be held, which will look into how the system failed to protect Jeffrey and the involvement of the CCAS.It is alleged the CCAS did not do a background check on the grandparents prior to the placement. Each of them has previous child abuse convictions.No date has been set for the start of the inquest.

189 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope the police and all else investigates the culprits responsible as in the CCAS as one does have to wonder if they not do this on purpose. And as well if a York CAS supervisor was fired for theft, then why does the idiot worker, her stupervisor and the director in charge dear Mary not be fired as well?

Might it be that the filthy, ruthless swines will admit liability should they fire someone for ONCE.

This is about litigation not children ......

Anonymous said...

I hope NO ONE READING THIS BLOG BELIEVES THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A POLICY ERROR. Liars, thieves and criminals the lot of them. yes the gig is up how will pit-bull screwball lawyer defend them? With any excuse in thes book in a nasty game of "oops" we really got caught and pissed the public off this time.

Anonymous said...

Who are the people that DO NOT WANT ACCOUNTABILITY - THE CAS AGENCIES OF COURSE AND THEIR BABY BROKER COUNTERPART COULPRITS. Oh and the government of course, as they do not want to take the responsible road here........ heaven forbid it might cost them money in addressing the nightmare of the 53 CAS agencies. All they will do is fund them more, and reward thieves, and criminals in the guise of child protection.

Anonymous said...

We all failed Jeffrey
Jun. 10, 2006. 01:00 AM
ROSIE DIMANNO


At birth, Jeffrey Baldwin weighed almost 10 pounds — a strapping baby boy.

Age 1, the toddler was thriving, chubby-cheeked, with a halo of bouncing blond curls and a smile that split his face.

There would be precious few smiles after that.

By Nov. 30, 2002 — the day he died, two months shy of his sixth birthday, his wasted and fecal-coated corpse placed on a scale by a pathologist — Jeffrey Baldwin weighed less than 22 pounds.

Over the previous five years of his blunted life, this sweet child had lengthened only eight inches. Stunting, it's called. Even his skeleton had stopped growing.

For this horror — a protracted murder by way of starvation — Jeffrey's maternal grandparents were yesterday sentenced to life in prison: No chance of parole until 22 years have been served, for Elva Bottineau; no chance of parole until 20 years have been served, for Norman Kidman.

Grandma's knees buckled slightly when Justice David Watt delivered the second-degree murder term. Grandpa's chin sank further into his chest. Neither spoke a word.

Eight years also apiece, concurrent, for unlawful confinement of Jeffrey and his next older sister — the ghost children — who were sequestered in a cold, filthy, locked room, rendered all but invisible in that don't-look-don't-tell godforsaken east-end house, inexplicably disfavoured against better loved and properly nourished siblings.

And for this, we should all stand before Jeffrey's mortal remains — last known location, a cremation urn in the possession of a biological father who must have had better things to do yesterday than attend court — and say: "I'm sorry.''

It took fearsome and collective disregard for Jeffrey to suffer so, this youngster who, in his final months, could barely drag his tiny body — brittle bones, bacteria-infested skin, emaciated limbs, rasping lungs — up the stairs, in full view of aunts, an uncle, and a shiftless, parasitic live-in boyfriend.

It took colossal incompetence, most ruinously by the Catholic Children's Aid Society, to have formally delivered these vulnerable kids into the untender mercies of Bottineau after custody proceedings. Either authorities never checked or wilfully ignored the alarming facts in their own thick case files — that Bottineau had been convicted as a teenage mom in the death of her own baby daughter, and that she had been repeatedly assessed by psychiatrists as "mentally defective,'' lacking the nurturing or intellectual wherewithal to competently parent. That, as well, her long-time common-law husband, Kidman — father to their three now-grown daughters — had pleaded guilty in the '70s to abusing Bottineau's older children by another man.

Yet nobody from the CCAS was called to testify in this judge-only trial.

The questions that begged to be answered were never asked.

Somewhere along the line, a prosecutorial decision was made to steer clear of that mare's nest, presumably to avoid shifting any blame from the accused. Tactically, this proved wise because defence lawyers had almost no wiggle-room in diffusing the palpable guilt of their clients. (Kidman, while pleading innocent, acknowledged culpability to manslaughter through his attorney during proceedings; neither Kidman nor Bottineau took the stand at trial.)

But in the argot of courtroom drama, the CCAS skated. It will fall to a coroner's inquest now to explore the systemic failures and individual blunders of child protection workers, those who contributed by errors of omission and commission to both Jeffrey's miserable fate, his lonely and unmourned death, in that misbegotten family, and whatever the future holds for his exceedingly damaged sister.

A coroner's inquest, however, by law, cannot ascribe blame. And calls for a public inquiry have fallen on deaf ears.

So, essentially, the CCAS has been absolved. No one will ever be held to account, including the case workers who must have seen, if they were doing their job even superficially, the evidence before their eyes: A little boy chronically starved, denied the medical attention he urgently required — Bottineau feared her meal ticket would be taken away if any doctor got a gander at Jeffrey, each child a $300-a-month cash cow in social assistance — on a "slow march to death,'' as the aforementioned lumpen boyfriend of a Bottineau/Kidman issue put it to police afterwards.

Child welfare agencies in this province have been called to account for themselves before. Other children in "care'' have died through neglect and abuse, babies have been starved and beaten, inquests conducted. And yet the most vulnerable in our midst — dependent and fragile children, too young to even form the concept of flight — repeatedly pay the price for carelessness and institutionalized tunnel vision.

"This is not the only case where there have been issues with the CCAS,'' reminded Mike Davis, the now-retired detective sergeant who led the Baldwin investigation. "I was very disappointed with (their) lack of co-operation.''

Jeffrey, a once vibrant and healthy child, thriving even at the hands of ostensibly abusive parents — because youngsters are remarkably resilient, humans genetically hard-wired to persevere despite the most awful deprivations until there's not a gram of fight left, as there was not a gram of fat on this child's frame — degenerated over five long, unimaginably persecuted years.

He and his sister were made to sit on a mat in the kitchen, on the occasions they were released from their "dungeon.'' They snatched food from the dog's dish, slurped water from the toilet boil, were incessantly punished for fouling their beds. But then, they'd been raised as feral creatures, outcasts, surviving as best they knew how, Jeffrey ultimately incapable even of producing tears in the ducts of his eyes, marking out his end of days in a urine-reeking space so vile that no human would countenance it "even for an ungovernable, ill-tempered cur,'' said Watt.

"Days turned into weeks and weeks into months and months became years,'' continued Watt, of Jeffrey's wretched existence in a secluded world where he was permitted to take up only the tiniest of spaces.

He looked, in the end — shocking even to medical professionals who've seen the worst of disease and decay — like a famine victim from a Third World country, not bountiful Toronto; resembling, said Watt, "someone infected with full-blown AIDS.''

If Bottineau was, indeed, of borderline intelligence — not, it should be emphasized, in the mental retardation range as determined by IQ — she was also clever and cunning, a font of lies from the moment police and emergency personnel arrived at her home that November morning, inventing stories left and right to explain away Jeffrey's deplorable condition, putting endlessly the blame on him, the child, for his disgraceful state, for dying.

"She is a liar of near pathological dimension, manipulative and without empathy,'' said Watt.

Scathingly: "Ms. Bottineau is intellectually impoverished but morally repugnant.''

Clearly contemptuous of the man and woman standing in front of him, Watt hammered them with as nearly severe a sentence as he could.

But he, too, like all of us, was left perplexed by the unknowingness of human nature.

"The circumstances of this case offer no real answer to one simply query: Why?''


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Anonymous said...

Crown, police demand public Baldwin inquiry
TIMOTHY APPLEBY

Globe and Mail Update

TORONTO — The chief prosecutor and the lead detective in the Jeffrey Baldwin murder case lambasted the Catholic Children's Aid Society and demanded a public inquiry yesterday after the boy's grandparents received life imprisonment for slowly starving him to death in a filthy, locked room.

Elva Bottineau and Norman Kidman must serve at least 22 years and 20 years, respectively, before they become eligible for parole, well above the minimum 10 years for second-degree murder.

Police, prosecutors and relatives of five-year-old Jeffrey praised the stiff prison terms, delivered for a crime the sentencing judge called “an offence of indescribable cruelty and unimaginable inhumanity.”

And Toronto's chief Crown attorney, Paul Culver, called for an examination of the role played by the CCAS, which approved the 1998 placement of Jeffrey and his three siblings in the couple's east-end home, even though both grandparents had previously been convicted of child abuse.

“How did Jeffrey end up in the care and custody of these people, given that their background was known — or should have been known — to the society?” Mr. Culver asked.

The Office of the Children's Lawyer — an arms-length government guardian of children's rights — is already suing the CCAS over the Baldwin case and the agency has acknowledged it overlooked the couple's checkered history when it supported their bid for custody.

But yesterday, retired homicide detective Mike Davis, who headed the murder investigation, accused the agency of more than negligence.

“There was little, if any co-operation from the Catholic Children's Aid Society,” he said.

“At no time did I see any co-operation whatsoever. This is something only a public inquiry can look into.”

A public inquiry is authorized by the provincial cabinet; in this instance it would likely be sought by Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Ann Chambers.

However, a coroner's inquest into Jeffrey's death is in the works and Ms. Chambers wants to see what happens from it first, a spokesman for her office said.

In April, Ms. Bottineau and Mr. Kidman, both 54, were convicted of second-degree murder, which brings an automatic life term. They were also convicted of unlawfully confining Jeffrey's older sister in the same feces-strewn bedroom, and yesterday received concurrent eight-year sentences on those charges.

The defendants did not testify during the nine-month trial. They displayed scant emotion yesterday as Mr. Justice David Watt of the Ontario Superior Court ordered them to stand before he imposed sentence.

Looking older than her years, her shaggy grey hair cascading over a baggy sweatshirt, Ms. Bottineau sagged a little as the judge read out his handwritten judgment.

Clad in the blue uniform of Toronto's public housing authority, his long-time former employer, Mr. Kidman stared at the floor, as he did throughout most of the trial.

Their lawyers — Nick Xynnis for Ms. Bottineau and Bob Richardson for Mr. Kidman — declined comment after sentencing.

Mr. Xynnis and co-counsel Anil Kapoor had sought parole eligibility in the range of 12 to 14 years, contending that Ms. Bottineau was of such limited mental capacity that she didn't realize the consequences of her actions.

Mr. Richardson had asked that Mr. Kidman — likely to serve his entire prison term in an isolated cell segregated from other prisoners — be eligible for release after serving 15 to 18 years.

Prosecutor Bev Richards had wanted the maximum sentence under the Criminal Code — 25 years before parole eligibility. Ms. Richards said later she was “happy with the result. I think this is a very clear and firm message.”

Jeffrey's paternal grandmother, Susan Dimitriadis, also was satisfied with the outcome.

“It's not going to bring Jeffrey back,” she said. “But they're not getting away with it, and I'm thankful for that.”

The sentences take effect from the date of the couple's arrest in March of 2003. With life imprisonment, the common two-for-one practice, whereby sentences are reduced two days for every one spent in pretrial custody, does not apply.

Under the so-called faint-hope clause, Ms. Bottineau and Mr. Kidman will be able to ask to have their parole-eligibility dates moved forward after serving 15 years. Such applications, however, fail more often than they succeed.

And even when parole hearings are granted, “as many learn, eligibility is one thing, success is another,” Judge Watt said yesterday.

In damning comments about the pair that occasionally left Ms. Bottineau shaking her head, the judge described her as remorseless, morally bankrupt, cunning and manipulative.

“She thirsts for control but flees from responsibility,” the judge said, deserving of a longer penitentiary term than her partner of 30 years because she was the primary caregiver in the dysfunctional household.

Adopted after abuse at the hands of their parents, Jeffrey and his siblings were viewed as a source of income through welfare cheques, the trial heard.

And while two of the children led reasonably normal lives, Jeffrey and his sister were locked up in conditions unfit for a dog, the judge said, in an uncarpeted room furnished with mattresses soaked in urine and feces.

Weighing just 21 pounds when he died of pneumonia and malnutrition in November of 2002, Jeffrey ate out of a bowl with his fingers and often drank from the toilet, the trial heard.

“The inhumanity revealed here has shocked the community,” the judge said yesterday.

“They must pay a very steep price.”

Detective Sergeant Kimberley O'Toole, who took over the case after Mr. Davis moved to the private sector, concurred.

“This has been very long and drawn out; it's taken everything out of everyone involved,” she said.

“Today is a great day because now Jeffrey can finally rest in peace.”

Anonymous said...

The Toronto CCAS has never wanted to cooperate with anyone period. It has refused to provide information to those who were in their care, it has lied, and it has a free for all. It should not surprise anyone that they did not want to work with the police. But it should tell anyone just how corrupt, and putrid the lot of them are.

Mary and her partners should BE FIRED.

They only care about one thing - litigation, they always have. They don't care that children are dying in their care. And if this was a policy vacuum error then why do others have PROOF that other agencies checked in kinship care?

It is a feeble excuse, and it is pathetic.

Anonymous said...

It was nice to see the detective O'Toole supporting Susan Jeffrey's other grandmother. I am glad that she is no longer being villified for a horror and crime that she is not responsible for. Also the bashing of this woman was no doubt initiated on this blog by a CCAS worker to deflect attention on them. Manipulative - a perfect description for the murderer, and a perfect word to describe the Toronto CCAS as well.

Anonymous said...

The police should pay careful attention to the "motive" in having Jeffrey in that house. It is possible that they did this on purpose.

Anonymous said...

Make a case so against family preservation that no one will ever support it? Why as it harms their industry of hunting down children for others? Paranoid, no - not after all of what these agencies have done in the past.

Anonymous said...

No cooperation

Homicide investigator Mike Davis expressed frustration with the CCAS outside the courthouse Friday. He said the agency provided "little - if any - cooperation" during the investigation of Jeffrey's death.

Davis said there are "policies and procedures" for organizations such as police and the CCAS, "and at no time did I see any cooperation whatsoever with the Catholic Children's Aid Society."

"This is something that only a public inquiry can look into and look into the systemic issues that are underlying with the Catholic Children's Aid Society," Davis said.

"We were and continue to be shocked and surprised by the level of cooperation that was given by the various children's agencies," Culver said.

After last month's guilty verdict, Ontario's chief coroner announced an inquest will be held, which will look into how the system failed to protect Jeffrey and the involvement of the CCAS.

It is alleged the CCAS did not do a background check on the grandparents prior to the placement. Each of them has previous child abuse convictions.

No date has been set for the start of the inquest. “This is something that only a public inquiry can look into and look into the systemic issues that are underlying with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society,” investigator Mike Davis said

"She thirsts for control, but flees from responsibility." sounds like Mary Mc Conville, sounds like all social workers, and the Minister

Her "self-perception . . . is at odds with reality,"
Chambers, telling the public there is oversight? Mary Mc Coville thinking she cooperated , when not even the Justice Watts
crown or police did,

Anonymous said...

The retired police officer criticized the agency's "lack of co-operation" during his investigation, adding that a scheduled coroner's inquest into the matter is not sufficient.

"This is not the only case where there have been issues with the CCAS," he said. "I'm very disappointed with them."

Mary McConville, executive director of the Toronto Catholic Children's Aid Society, rejected suggestions the agency did not co-operate with investigators. Since the Baldwin case, numerous controls have been tightened for all child protection agencies, including mandatory background checks on people who take children into their care, she said
Her "self-perception . . . is at odds with reality,"

Anonymous said...

Crown, police demand public Baldwin inquiry

Anonymous said...

“There was little, if any co-operation from the Catholic Children's Aid Society,” he said.

“At no time did I see any co-operation whatsoever. This is something only a public inquiry can look into.”

A public inquiry is authorized by the provincial cabinet; in this instance it would likely be sought by Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Ann Chambers.

However, a coroner's inquest into Jeffrey's death is in the works and Ms. Chambers wants to see what happens from it first, a spokesman for her office said.
Her "self-perception . . . is at odds with reality,"

Anonymous said...

I trust that those who structured this situation, who were responsible for monitoring this situation and who failed, totally, in this situation --will also face commensurate justice!! The CCAS should not be able to hide from their moral bankruptcy in this case. Officer of this association should go to jail...no monetary fines for their deep pockets that were bereft of any assistance whatsoever to the victim.

Anonymous said...

An Inquiry is the only good thing to come of all of this. The CCAS should be completely overhauled; placing a young innocent like Jeffrey with known abusers, is nothing less then criminal. I hope that charges are laid within CCAS for aiding and abetting this tragedy

Anonymous said...

The sentence for the grand'parents'(?) is appropiate according to the law, even though the should receive similar treatment as the gave to this little boy. However it is hard to understand the actions of the Catholic (love thy neighbour) Childrens 'Aid'(?) society in this horrible case.To submit innocent children to the treatment they received in spite of prior conviction for child abuse of the 'caregivers' is to say the least careless if not criminal.The inquiry demanded is necessary and the system of child placement has to be scrutinized and people responsible for this case should never again be in charge of child placement. CHILDRENS AID? My foot

Anonymous said...

often wonder what is the make up of people who run religious organizations such as this. Do they do it for the children or do they do it for the kudoes they hope will get themselves a better position in Heaven. And why a children's aid run by a church, cannot the government run ones do the job properly? And the government children's agencies should take a lesson from this and make sure their people are only the best qualified

Anonymous said...

the agencys are all so called NGOs. But one has to wonder, Children would be better off if this was a gov run agency, accountable, as well

Anonymous said...

Wally Grisold from Toronto, Canada writes: The people at the CCAS should have to look in a mirror every morning and then a picture of that poor child. it's so sad that money was a major factor in this case. The CCAS could be put in a class with the brass at the TTC. Inquiry for sure and then clean the house.

Anonymous said...

R DT from Burritt's Rapids, Ontario, Canada writes: This absolute tragedy resulting in the horrible, torturous death of a young child is far from over despite the lengthy jail terms of the grandparents which will never be enough punishment to suit this crime even if society is fortunate enough that at their ages they could possibly die in prison. NO, far from over. There should be a full disclosure of names of who did what within the chain of command of the Catholic Childrens Aid Society and appropriate punishments (not slaps on the wrist) should also be handed out to these totally irresponsible people not to mention that they should never be employed again in any capacity involving children. Those involved have to be considered negligent in their duties and guilty to a great extent in this crime. Incompetence is not a valid excuse!!

Anonymous said...

Mike Davis, a former Toronto police detective and lead investigator on the case, said he was satisfied with the sentences but more answers need to come from the Catholic Children’s Aid Society, which put the children in harm’s way. He there was little to no co-operation from the Catholic Children’s Aid Society when police were investigating the case.

The grandparents were supposed to be saviours for Jeffrey and his siblings - who had been abused by their birth parents - but instead, the pair used the children as a source of income, collecting government support cheques in their names.

No the CCAS were suppose to be the saviours,
and why they saw the murders as GOOD they also take children and are supported from government cheques.

Anonymous said...

- AM 640 Toronto 24 Hour Newscentre
“How did Jeffrey land up in the care of these people, given their background and history that was known or should have been known to the Catholic Children’s Aid Society?” he demands.

The Society claims it’s learned lessons from the awful case and has made the necessary alterations to its policies.

“We have made checks of backgrounds, extended family, we made those checks mandatory and we brought in an outside reviewer to assess the changes that we made,” assures spokesperson Mary McConville.

Others aren’t so sure – including the coroner, who has called an inquest into Jeffrey’s death to discover what happened and why. No date has been announced.


“How did Jeffrey land up in the care of these people, given their background and history that was known or should have been known to the Catholic Children’s Aid Society?” he demands.

The Society claims it’s learned lessons from the awful case and has made the necessary alterations to its policies.

“We have made checks of backgrounds, extended family, we made those checks mandatory and we brought in an outside reviewer to assess the changes that we made,” assures spokesperson Mary McConville.

Others aren’t so sure – including the coroner, who has called an inquest into Jeffrey’s death to discover what happened and why. No date has been announced

Anonymous said...

Then there was Bottineau's husband, Norman Kidman, whose documented history has him convicted of the extreme beatings of two of Bottineau's children from a previous marriage -- another record easily accessed by the CCAS.

Yet into those abusive arms young Jeffrey Baldwin was tossed, along with three other siblings.

There is one office, however, that might have caught Jeffrey Baldwin in mid-toss -- if the government of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty had listened when it adopted Bill 210 -- amendments to the Child and Family Services Act that promised, among other things, a stronger, and timelier, complaints process within all children's aid societies.

NO COMMITMENT

For it was then that Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin was deep in meetings with government officials, trying to convince them that the independence of his office offered the ideal arm's-length place for CAS complaints to be handled.

"I did my fair share of glad-handing but received no more than a sympathetic response," Marin tells me.

"What I didn't get, however, was a commitment and, quite frankly, nor is there any commitment in sight.

"Bill 210 presented the perfect opportunity to provide oversight of the CAS, and they let the opportunity slip by," says Marin. "And not for the first time."

Way back in 1975, for example, the province's first ombudsman, renowned criminal lawyer Arthur Maloney, was pushing buttons to have his office oversee the CAS.

"But we missed the boat then, and we're missing it now," says Marin. "We need to think only of the misery and death of Jeffrey Baldwin to realize the true value in having the ombudsman's office involved.

"But, as it stands, my office cannot investigate cases like Jeffrey's because of the limits placed on it.

"And that's frustrating considering what happened."

Although Marin's office monitors the coroners' court system, he has not yet been invited to participate in the Jeffrey Baldwin inquest -- which is somewhat ironic.

"After 30 years, the time has come to again raise the profile of the CAS issue," says Marin.

'IT MAKES NO SENSE'

"Ontario is the only province where the CAS is outside any independent oversight -- despite using public money to fulfil a state function of providing care for children in need of protection, and despite having a provincial mandate which should be under my direction except for the technical reason that they are not deemed to be 'governmental organizations.'

"It makes no sense, but that's the way it is."

It should come as no surprise, however, that the CAS umbrella organization wants no part of Marin's office not only monitoring CAS operations province-wide but being the go-to place for complaints.

As Jeanette Lewis, executive director of the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, put it: "(Andre Marin) has not very well articulated to the public the number of accountability mechanisms that exist (within CAS)."

This does not mean, though, that Marin will go away.

Marin's response?

"The CAS talks of having 17 different oversight mechanisms," he says. "Truth is, I don't know how they can say it and say it with a straight face.

"In light of what happened to Jeffrey Baldwin, I am surprised by the rabid reaction of the CAS.

"It clearly has a system that's flawed."

Anonymous said...

JEFFERYS LAW bill 88. oversight of all agencys by Ombudsmans office, and a total inquiry into them all.

If the do not cooperate with the police, is there any question about how they treat familys?

Anonymous said...

God bless Mike Davis and Paul Culver for the courage they have demonstrated in calling for a full inquiry into Toronto CCAS. Although most readers were far ahead of these officials on this point - the reality is they are in positions where their words can not be ignored so easily. Nor should André Marin, Howard Hampton and Andrea Horwath be forgotten - when so many high-profile people are outraged, it is obvious that there are serious problems with the child welfare industry. I might also add that Jeffrey Baldwin's case - although tragic - is merely one example of the unbelievable abuse, maliciousness and incompetence that CAS engages in daily.

One has to wonder how insane and sleazy Mary McConville really is. Since Jeffrey's case was first exposed she has repeatedly lied - and even now insists her agency co-operated in direct contradiction to the judge and officials who know otherwise. This is so typical of how CAS handles its accusations against innocent parties - lie after lie after lie.

Then there's Mary Anne Chambers who would rather do anything than address the problem - intent on protecting a system that does unbelievable damage to children without the slightest qualm. As anyone who has encountered CAS will recognize, this is particularly sickening, as these agencies insist that perfectly normal parents accept "responsibility" for the lunatic fantasies their moronic employees engage in.

Those who have commented this entire hypocritical system should be scrapped are completely correct - the sooner the better.

Anonymous said...

Make no mistake, there are thousands upon thousands of skeltons in the CAS closet. It's no surprise that the Bottineau's and Kidman's fit in. The system is populated by misfits with no more credibility than they had. Misfits who could not function elsewhere. Misfits who wouldn't know a child's best interests if it were branded on their heads. Misfits committed to endlessly expanding the reach of a corrupt system that serves no one's needs and misfits that are all too happy to benefit from it.

Anonymous said...

The CCAS abandoned Jeffrey. They knew what went on at the Bottineau/Kidman place. Why did they leave Jeffrey and his sister there? What did they have to hide in their records? Bottineau had a friend within the organization. The guilty ones have gotten off scot-free. They will now have a mandate to take more children.

Anonymous said...

I'm relieved, now little Jeffrey can be at peace.Dear Jeffrey another tear for your for you today a cry of relief a cry of pain I still feel regardless of the sentence,nothing can bring you back"little angel".You are in Gods arms now.Sleep my love and be free.Let this be hope for those little kids who feel without it.Yuo are a hero Jeffrey,I'm proud of you and LOVE you very much.I'll talk to you in my prayers litlle one.

Anonymous said...

They kept a five year-old locked up in a single room, living in his own filth, with sores all over his body, forcing him to eat what little food he received out of a dog dish.

He was so thirsty, he had to drink out of a dirty toilet.

And when he finally died in 2002, Jeffrey Baldwin weighed just 21 pounds.

He succmubed to malnutrition and bacterial pneumonia, but it was his grandparents' neglect that really proved fatal.

For those who heard the disturbing testimony, no amount of punishment could have been enough for the people responsible for that cruel treatment – Norman Kidman and Elva Bottineau.

But in a Toronto courtroom on Friday, a judge finally brought down their ultimate sentence.

There was no doubt both would be given life in prison after having been convicted of second-degree murder last April. The only question was how long it would be before either could apply for parole.

Superior Court Justice David Watt has ruled Bottineau must serve 22 years while her husband can’t hit the streets again for at least two decades.

Watt notes that while both grandparents were responsible for the boy’s death, Bottineau had a more direct role, calling the woman “morally bankrupt.”

"She thirsts for control, but flees from responsibility," he condemns. "The inhumanity revealed here has shocked the community. They must pay a very steep price."

Kidman hung his head when his fate was announced. But Bottineau held her head high.

In the end, neither side got what it wanted. The defence was hoping for 12-14 years while the Crown was going for the max – a quarter of a century.

With the convicted couple both being 54-years-old, they would have been nearly 80 if they survived that sentence.

Outside the halls of justice, those who couldn’t help the child bitterly condemned the idea that either of the killers should have any hope of escape at all.

“I don't think that they should see the light of day,” family friend Lisa Burns assures. “But there's a lot more people that should be in that jail. The people that were in the house, the adults, the Catholic Children's Aid Society.”

The boy’s paternal grandmother is just pleased the gruesome case is over and that justice has finally been doled out.

“It is closure,” sighs Susan Dimitriadis. “I'm glad it is finished now, but I'm never going to forget Jeffrey. And I don't think it will ever be the same, my family.”

The Crown would have preferred more time, but seems satisfied with the outcome. “In the end, indeed, justice was done and the system worked,” outlines Crown Attorney Beverley Richards.

“I believe a message has been sent to the community that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated whatsoever,” adds her colleague Paul Culver.

He wants to know how the convicted couple came to get custody of the boy in the first place, especially since each had a history of previous child abuse convictions.

“How did Jeffrey land up in the care of these people, given their background and history that was known or should have been known to the Catholic Children’s Aid Society?” he demands.

The Society claims it’s learned lessons from the awful case and has made the necessary alterations to its policies.

“We have made checks of backgrounds, extended family, we made those checks mandatory and we brought in an outside reviewer to assess the changes that we made,” assures spokesperson Mary McConville.

Others aren’t so sure – including the coroner, who has called an inquest into Jeffrey’s death to discover what happened and why. No date has been announced.


Lead cop recalls interviewing killer couple



June 9, 2006

Anonymous said...

Please take note. The following article posted on Dufferin VOCA could apply to any CAS agency in Ontario:

DFCS probe: Violations rampant

Thursday, June 8, 2006

Stories of overzealous Department of Family and Children Services employees prowling for referrals and using people's children as tools of extortion were true, according to the Georgia Department of Human Resources investigative report.

Such stories had been circulating for months before the watershed moment nearly a year ago when Melinda "Mindy" McCoy was charged with reckless conduct for not removing children from a home.

Her downfall, brought about by co-workers seemingly targeting her for reporting questionable practices to the state, shed light on a rogue outfit operating behind a cloak of confidentiality.

After McCoy was suspended, her case and mileage documents were found in a shredding container at the DFCS office.

Some of the more shocking revelations listed in the 64-page report compiled by DHR investigators and obtained by The Clayton Tribune include:

* According to Rabun County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Mike Carnes, "deputies were sent by DFCS to schools to pick up children from schools; no reason was ever given for the directives and no court orders were ever issued."
* Police Chief Tony Free told DHR in January that he heard Cpl. Donna Terry, and a former sheriff's DFCS liaison, "bragging that she broke the record last month by picking up" 28 or 38 children.
* Former DFCS employee Sabrina Ritchie "knew there were times when staff discussed a case plan for a family and included everything they could to make the plan nearly impossible to complete," the report said.
* Children were removed from the FAITH shelter, and clients said they were forced by DFCS to get a temporary protective order or risk losing their children, according to FAITH executive director Caroline White. Furthermore, her shelter held women "hostage" at times to help them keep their children.

"This is DFCS' investigation," said lawyer Brian Rickman. "This is their investigation and this is what they found, and it appears to verify virtually all of the allegations."

The report alleges improprieties against the four employees terminated by DFCS since the investigation began in December, and the transfer of a fifth to another office. Findings substantiated by DHR investigators include children removed from homes without just cause, excessive drug screening, lack of proper supervision and a culture of violations that were permitted in a day-to-day environment.

Former director Linda Gragg, former social services supervisor Lynn Justus, Nicole Allen and Ritchie made false statements to investigators, among other violations of department policy, the report said. Most notably, the office was guilty of numerous conflicts of interest that violated DHR's policy for Standards of Conduct and Ethics in Government.

Gragg declined to comment on the report until she had a chance to speak with her lawyer. Allen and state DFCS Director Mary Dean Harvey did not return phone calls seeking comment. Regional director Sid Jessup, who also is acting director of the local office, referred all questions to a DHR spokesman.

Rickman, the first person to publicly raise questions about the conflict involving DFCS and its drug testing contractor, was asked for a possible motive in the scandal.

"You can't help but think there was some type of financial motive in all of this," he said.

Creative Consulting Services of Northeast Georgia Inc., conducted drug screens for DFCS from October 2003-January 2006. The company is owned by Judith Mendoza, whose daughter, Allen, started working for DFCS in March 2004.

Allen's friend and roommate, Officer Terry, and sister, Andrea Phelps, also worked for the company. Between January 2005 and this past January, DFCS paid the company $83,510 for 742 drug screens. Lumpkin County, with a population 50 percent larger than Rabun's, paid out less than a third of that amount for 733 screens.

Gragg signed the agreements with Mendoza even though she was required to solicit a bid for anything costing more than $5,000. Gragg told investigators it was the only place in the county that could perform the screens.

But Mountain Lakes Medical Center Administrator Ben Busbee refuted that assertion and said he knew of no reason why the hospital would refuse to do screening for DFCS.

The drug screening process has elicited the most criticism since clients, lawyers and law enforcement started coming forward with their complaints last year. Investigators determined that people were continually tested even if they had repeated clean screens.

Justus, among others, gave Juvenile Court Judge Joanna Temple credit for the aggressive drug screening that ran afoul of state policy because of Rabun's methamphetamine "epidemic." Temple, a former DFCS lawyer, "wanted them to take it seriously," the report said.

Sonya Neely, who was transferred to the Towns County office amid the investigation, told investigators Temple considered a refusal a positive test, and that the judge wanted children removed immediately if a parent tested positive. The state manual requires a court order to get a urine sample if a parent refuses a screen.

Neely also said, "Temple wanted her verbal orders complied with the same as her written orders." The so-called verbal orders led to case workers, while accompanied by officers, picking up children based on one's word of mouth.

Carnes and Free blamed Temple for much of the problems with the office. According to the report, Free "thought Judge Temple was responsible for much of the trouble because she was power hungry and out of line." Carnes also thought "Temple was the problem. He did not understand what verbal orders were and how they were legal."

Neither Temple, nor the person who appointed her, Chief Judge Ernest "Bucky" Woods, returned phone calls seeking comment.

To help pay for the excessive screening, Gragg approved pulling money from Prevent Unnecessary Placement funds, typically used to help people clean or repair their homes.

Several other conflicts were revealed during the investigation. Mendoza and Phelps got paid $20 an hour to do paperwork for DFCS and Terry was paid for respite care by DFCS. Respite care typically is when an officer stays with a child in a hotel room when the child can't be placed with a foster parent.

According to DFCS receptionist Linda Brown, Mendoza had an office at DFCS where she conducted drug screens. Phelps previously had a day care in her home and received referrals from DFCS, some of which were from Allen, according to Terry Salemi, a former DFCS worker.

Justus' husband, Cory, owned a vending machine in the DFCS lobby. It was removed Jan. 16. Gragg gave him a soft drink machine because RC Cola never came to pick it up.

According to Neely, Justus was "closer than friends" with Ritchie and let her go on home visits even though she wasn't qualified to do so.

Terry went on most calls with Allen while Terry was the sheriff's liaison. Terry also performed drug screens while on duty as a Clayton police officer, according to the report. Ritchie told investigators the conflict wasn't discussed around Allen because she was "protective" of her family. Terry, who was considered part of her family, told investigators she went inside homes to make decisions; "she didn't just sit in the car and let them make the decisions."

Some DFCS employees had covered for each other, at least until the investigation got under way. A DFCS investigator was going to look into a referral concerning Neely, but Justus screened out the referral on Gragg's instruction.

When previously questioned by The Tribune about her office, Gragg routinely brought up how she was short staffed and that her employees were overburdened with a heavy caseload. Justus told investigators that Gragg "went through the newspaper to look for situations in which DFCS had not received a referral, but she would not call it shopping for referrals. Director Gragg was making sure that all the cases were being addressed."

DFCS workers also went through reports at the sheriff's office to make sure nothing was missed. Dispatchers complained that Terry questioned every call that came to the 911 center.

Neely acknowledged that people in Rabun knew the best way to get even with someone was to make an anonymous call to DFCS accusing someone of using drugs. Even when no evidence of drug use existed, "she knew the policy was to do a drug screen."

Even people without children were not immune from running afoul from an apparent culture of vindictiveness at DFCS.

A review of one case file showed Cory Justus, a sheriff's office employee, reported to his wife, Lynn, that someone had a filthy house, possibly abused drugs and had an unsupervised child. Neighbors, including Lynn's ex-husband, also made allegations to DFCS about the person.

Case worker Steve Gates found the reports unfounded because no child was living in the residence.

Police often went to the house on barking dog complaints. Cory Justus told an officer that his wife "wanted to get something" on the family and suggested that the officer report a dirty house. Gates did not turn in a report regarding his conversation with the officer because he feared retaliation from Lynn Justus, his supervisor.

One of the most telling signs of how out of control the situation became comes from the small number of referrals DFCS has seen since January. Jessup said no child had been placed in state custody since mid-January. He said DFCS had worked hard with family members in cases where it appeared a child might have to be removed. In the worst cases, children have been left with a relative or neighbor.

Case manager Kim Bell reported in January that the number of referrals had declined in recent months. She had heard schools were afraid to make referrals because of the media coverage.

White said FAITH had seen a decline in the number of calls it received on its crisis line and in the number of people coming to its shelter for assistance.

"That's what we were hearing from people who walked through the door, that they would never call 911 again or FAITH because they didn't want to lose their children," White said last week.

In her six years at FAITH, White had never before had a child removed from a shelter. "I wouldn't ask for help either," she said. "We have a lot of healing to do."

When asked who the victims were, she said it was the community at large. "It's every social service agency in this community, but it's also those workers who were fired because they were misguided and mismanaged. All those people were dedicated to social services."

Allen and Ritchie told investigators Gragg and Justus signed off on every decision they made.

"Nicole truly cared about children and was just misguided and mismanaged. I don't think she tried to hurt anybody, personally," White said.

Rickman said a bigger issue than the financial motives needed to be addressed.

"It was a crusade. That's a more complicated thing to address. People who honestly thought they were the only ones who know what's best for kids ... and were going to do whatever it takes," he said. "I don't think it was just about money. I think they truly believe nothing wrong has been done."

Rickman also said no objective person could come to a conclusion other than that some serious instances of wrongdoing occurred. The real tragedy, he added, would be if nobody learned from it.

Anonymous said...

It's curious how Mary McConville and the CCAS demonstrate how much they've learned from Jeffrey Baldwin's death - still refusing to allow his maternal grandmother access to the siblings. Clearly, this agency has no interest in children and is obsessed with protecting itself through control. Wouldn't want further damaging evidence to leak out, now would we?

Anonymous said...

The Toronto Crown Attorney who prosecuted the case is from the Ministry of the Attorney General and found that the CAS covered ass during the investigation and prosecution.

The investigator, a toronto cop, falls under the Ministry of the Solicitor General and he called for a public inquiry on the CAS' fuck ups.

Maybe the Attorney General and Solicitor General should give the Children and Youth Service Minister Chamber a call to reign her in and help her see the light!

Anonymous said...

shed light on a rogue outfit operating behind a cloak of confidentiality.

yes this is what CAS AND THE CCAS is really all about, and no one cares, it makes me sick,

Anonymous said...

I think that if Minister Chambers does not give these agencies oversight, and that if she refuses to grant a public inquiry that the public should DEMAND HER RESIGNATION.

Anonymous said...

And it is also most unfair that Jeffrey's other grandmother is being barred from seeing his siblings. It might help his siblings to know that they do have a grandmother that loves them, not just an evil monster one. Why is his other grandmother being barred from seeing these children?

She is NOT RESPONSIBLE THE CCAS IS. Ironic that they can see the siblings but not Susan?

They have control over the siblings? The same people that sent them to that house?

I do not trust that the siblings are in safe homes, and I hope that Bill 88 is passed, frankly Andre Marin, Mike Davis and others including his other grandmother should have the power to investigate and ensure that the kids are in a safe home.

Trust CCAS that they are - NO WAY NOT AFTER THIS!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Of interest check this site out - it lists Jeffrey on a list of dead children who were in state care...... as well check out the connection between Canada and the States in the infamous Quebec experiment.

But the system is not corrupt? It has never addressed the previous horrors yet alone allowing it to just grow.......

http://www.fightcps.com/

Anonymous said...

To begin with the CCAS had concerns about Jeffrey's mother especially. Part of this concern would have warranted looking into her background for most CAS agencies as they do base child abuse on repeating itself. Which in and of itself brands all child abuse survivors as being culprits. Many do not repeat this, as they would not wish it on anyone. But to CAS not so, they think they know it all.

So if this is the case then why would her mother in particular be awarded custody? And if the worker was inept which she clearly was then how would her supervisor, and their supervisor and the director have "case meetings" about this. Someone over that worker had to know the background. And how could they have case meetings that are alleging to discuss the progress or lack of progress with the children when no one ever saw them?

Sitting in their ivory towers with Elva Bottineau the Toronto CCAS had numerous discussions about 4 children and never saw them? During their chit chat Jeffrey and his sister remained lock in a dungeon, while the lot of them had tea and cookies in an overpriced boardroom at that agency?

And the CCAS supervisor that went to the house didn't see a terrified, sad and half starved child?

And they never checked when 4 children were sent to that house?

Until that Goddamn agency answers publically nothing will convince me that this was NOT DONE ON PURPOSE.

"Oh, we'll show them family preservation" said Mary...... not after this will people support it.

If this was NOT DONE ON PURPOSE THEN HOW THE HELL DID IT HAPPEN?????????

The Toronto CCAS does not like wicked sex deviants who have sex without the benefit of marriage... it is a sin to them. GOD FORBID that deviants have children without rings on their fingers.

ALL CCAS AGENCIES SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN ABOVE THE REST OF THEM. Religion has nothing to do with child abuse, and after the crimes of the Roman Catholic Church and their merry band wagon of pervert priests covering up their crimes, is this case any different?

I hope a public inquiry is made, and that the Toronto CCAS is FORCED TO SHUT DOWN FINALLY.
The reaction to this case, and lack of cooperation speaks volumes about their callous disregard, and inability to perform their alleged roles in child protection.

They are despicable for not cooperating with the police.

Anonymous said...

They will be like Oliver in the end - please sir, can we have some more money, as if they are orphans of funds begging for funding to prevent cases like Jeffrey. If only Big Brother would give them millions more cases like Jeffrey would not happen would they?

This from a putrid, evil agency where 6 workers were fired just a few years ago for looking at child porn in their offices? Those poor over-worked social workers..... struggling each day, yet taking the time to distribute porn on their secret, coveted private email CCAS accounts....... those poor workers when they had the last child death baby Jordan with a worker announcing to people "we will win" after a child starved to death as well.

Did you win this time, you putrid LYING FUCKS!!

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way, if the government refuses to give oversight of the CAS if you have a stillborn, or an alleged deceased infant - or know anyone that does with involvement with the Toronto CCAS, you might want to demand to see the body, and DNA tests as well.

Could be that your child is not actually dead - right Toronto CCAS? You putrid lying fucks..........

Anonymous said...

Many, loving adoptive parents exist, and maybe they are as well victims of the system..... but those who are truthful will not condone what has happened.

Anonymous said...

Stop dragging the Catholic church into this equation. Other than funding the CCAS they have a very limited role and certainly are not responsible for jeffreys death. They fund many charities besides CCAS.

Yes the Catholic church has had some serious issues involving priests etc and cannot and will not be condoned. All of the other churchs have similar issues too but due to the size of the catholic church worldwide it draws media attention. The majority of priests are not perverts but like any occupation perverts do seep in sometimes.

Stop painting all catholics with your tainted brush...it is not fair.

Anonymous said...

I agree that the problem lies in Queens Park with McGuinty and Chambers. I do not see what the Catholic Church has to with it. They are caught up in this. It is a provincial problem.

I agree with Robert McQuaid that:

A blog has appeared called jeffreyslawnow by Amanda Reed. Look at the last quarter of her first page for her agenda. Most of the suggestions amount to giving more power to Children's Aid, and merger of CCAS and CAS. How much of this is Amanda's conscience, and how much is part of a power struggle within social services?

Children's Aid will acquire yet more powers, and possibly one arm of social services will cannibalize another as a result of the Jeffrey Baldwin tragedy. The next time they need more money and power, will they let another child die?

Anonymous said...

'IT MAKES NO SENSE'

"Ontario is the only province where the CAS is outside any independent oversight -- despite using public money to fulfil a state function of providing care for children in need of protection, and despite having a provincial mandate which should be under my direction except for the technical reason that they are not deemed to be 'governmental organizations.'

"It makes no sense, but that's the way it is."
No cooperation

Homicide investigator Mike Davis expressed frustration with the CCAS outside the courthouse Friday. He said the agency provided "little - if any - cooperation" during the investigation of Jeffrey's death.

Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Ann Chambers and Mary Mc Coville."She is a liar of near pathological dimension, manipulative and without empathy,'' said Watt.
The 53 CAS agencies are a rogue outfit operating behind a cloak of confidentiality,children in "care'' have died through neglect and abuse, babies have been starved and beaten, inquests conducted. And yet the most vulnerable in our midst — dependent and fragile children, too young to even form the concept of flight — repeatedly pay the price for carelessness and institutionalized tunnel vision.It took colossal incompetence,
"This is something that only a public inquiry can look into and look into the systemic issues that are underlying with the Catholic Children's Aid Society," Davis said,
and all CAS agencies

Anonymous said...

Interesting post, never painted all Catholics with the same brush, though whom ever posted this is angry for even mentioning the pervert priests and the cover-ups? Interesting.......... and the cover ups is not different from the CCAS.

Know the history of the system? Now pretending to support Robert, yet not Amanda for setting up this blog?

Why would Amanda have any guilt was she a former social worker? I don't think so...... who posted this CCAS worker??

Do some homework the church created this, it is not caught up in it - it is behind it......

Do you want religion to rein over this? Let me guess you do.

Anonymous said...

People know who is who, and can draw lines in the sand when needed.. don't you think?

Could it be that you don't like Amanda as she is God forbid a woman?

Oh dear. Let us all revert back to the 1600's..........

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, Amanda is a woman is that the problem? Let's revert back to the 1600's shall we?

People know who is who, and can draw lines in the sand rather nicely.

The rights of fathers should not be based on hating women?

Not in your following and never will be.

Anonymous said...

wife "wanted to get something" on the family and suggested that the officer report a dirty house.

yes the messy house, can and has been landry clean but piled on a bed, child in need of protection, dinner dishes not done child in need of protection, what does Chambers have to say about this??

Anonymous said...

Maybe this blog went to the dogs in some ways, but never the bitches.

This is about a little boy, does it matter his gender. I don't think so..........

Anonymous said...

Real men do not hate women, and real women do not hate men. And in between is the real love for children, not just dogma, but actual care for no agenda...... but fairness, and justice for them.

An overhaul is one thing, anarchy is another.

Anonymous said...

Other than funding the CCAS they have a very limited role and certainly are not responsible for jeffreys death.

Reply - I think if these so called good Christian soldiers would think before they fund that much to do with everything would change.

Is the church innocent in this? After all it is MAN MADE NOT GOD MADE.

Religion should be gutted from child protection, as the created God, is not the true God to anyone with a brain.....

Anonymous said...

There are only a handful of loving people on this blog...

Anonymous said...

Stop dragging the Catholic Church into this? Wow you are a true genius aren't you, and it is innocent in this mess?

Please get some fresh air. And the so called nanny state that you hate supports family preservation..... lines in the sand right.

Preach what you practice, a good motto in the end of this mess.

Keeping us balled and chained to patriarchy is a feeble answer, I think. Certainly not the road to save innocent children like Jeffrey.

Anonymous said...

The truth is, religion is a sidebar when discussing CCAS / CAS abuse. All CAS agencies are funded by government and act both in and outside government legislation determined by vested interests. All CAS agencies commit horrible abuses against Ontario residents every day. All dive for cover when exposed. None are accountable for their actions.

Anonymous said...

Pure and simple, all these agencies are evil.

Anonymous said...

'IT MAKES NO SENSE'

"Ontario is the only province where the CAS is outside any independent oversight -- despite using public money to fulfil a state function of providing care for children in need of protection, and despite having a provincial mandate which should be under my direction except for the technical reason that they are not deemed to be 'governmental organizations.'

"It makes no sense, but that's the way it is."
No cooperation

Homicide investigator Mike Davis expressed frustration with the CCAS outside the courthouse Friday. He said the agency provided "little - if any - cooperation" during the investigation of Jeffrey's death.

Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Ann Chambers and Mary Mc Coville."She is a liar of near pathological dimension, manipulative and without empathy,'' said Watt.
The 53 CAS agencies are a rogue outfit operating behind a cloak of confidentiality,children in "care'' have died through neglect and abuse, babies have been starved and beaten, inquests conducted. And yet the most vulnerable in our midst — dependent and fragile children, too young to even form the concept of flight — repeatedly pay the price for carelessness and institutionalized tunnel vision.It took colossal incompetence,
"This is something that only a public inquiry can look into and look into the systemic issues that are underlying with the Catholic Children's Aid Society," Davis said,
and all CAS agencies

Anonymous said...

What do you mean? Amanda is a former social worker? Explain yourself.

What do have against us Catholics? Most of try to live up to our faith.

Anonymous said...

The person who wrote:

"There is only a handful of loving people on this blog" is so so right.

There are hoardes of angry, resentful women (and maybe men too) taking over the blog.

Too bad. What started out as a sounding board for ideas on overhauling CAS agencies etc has instead become a hateful site where one can swear, cut-up others, criticize others and their religion etc.

The "originals" on the site have run. Thy are no longer interested. Perhaps behind the scenes they are advocating for change but certainly not on this blog.

Too bad. Those were the ones who made sense, had good ideas and were educated in the laws governing
CAS etc.

Anonymous said...

A CONTRITE Mary McConville?


The sentence for allowing their grandson to starve
CanWest Global Transcripts
Fri 09 Jun 2006
Time: 18:30:00 ET
Network: GLOBAL
KEVIN NEWMAN: Hello and thank you for joining us. When children are victimized, many feel no punishment is enough. But in Toronto today, a judge had to decide what punishment was sufficient for one of the worst cases of child abuse in Canadian history. Two grandparents guilty of neglecting their five year old grandchild so badly, he starved, slowly, to death. Here's Global National's Mike Drolet.

MIKE DROLET (Reporter): Finally, after close to four years of tears, a reason for Susan Dimitriades to smile. Her grandson Jeffrey Baldwin's killers, his maternal grandparents, won't be eligible for parole for at least two decades.

SUSAN DIMITRIADES (Paternal Grandmother): I'm happy. I'm happy with it. And I'm happy they'll never get out.

DROLET: Elva Bottineau and her common law husband Norman Kidman were supposed to save little Jeffrey and his siblings from a life of abuse at the hands of their birth parents. Instead, Justice David Watt said Jeffrey was treated worse than an ill tempered mutt. He dug through the garbage for food, and drank from the toilet when he was thirsty. He weighed 21 pounds when he died just shy of his sixth birthday. Less than what he weighed when he turned one. Justice Watt called it an offence of indescribable cruelty and incalculatable humanity. Even her own son said 22 years without parole for her and 20 years for her common-law husband was generous.

CRAIG CROTTA (Bottineau's Son): I don't think parole should have even been granted, period. No chance of parole. The death penalty should be brought back for her and him both. I think what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

DROLET: The big question now is has the system changed enough to protect other children? Both of Jeffrey's grandparents had previously been convicted of child abuse. The coroner's inquest will look into that case, and the Catholic Children's Aid Society now makes background checks mandatory.

MARY MCCONVILLE (Catholic Children's Aid Society): This has been a very painful case for this agency.

DROLET: Ontario's ombudsman says that's not enough. Children's aid societies which are privately run but use public funds are not accountable to anyone.

ANDRE MARIN (Ontario Ombudsman): For 30 years, the ombudsman's office has been taking the position that the Children Aide Societies do not have appropriate oversight. For 30 years it's been ignored, and now we have this catastrophe that's happened, and we've got the public who's very upset by it.

DROLET: Nobody more so than Jeffrey's paternal grandfather.

CHARLES BALDWIN (Paternal Grandfather): I hope it does send a message that other kids don't go through what my grandson went through.

DROLET: In Toronto, this is Global National's Mike Drolet reporting.

Anonymous said...

No doubt this case has been painful for Mary McConville and Toronto CCAS. The agency has been exposed for what it truly is. In a word, a system that is out of control has been granted unquestioning authority to destroy people's lives with absolutely no accountability for its actions. Scratch the surface and there are horror stories everywhere. Wagons are circled and lunatics and incompetents are vigorously protected instead of being prosecuted for their actions. Jeffrey Baldwin is the tip of the iceburg. The system is a nightmare.

Anonymous said...

The CCAS is not in any meaningful and public way held to account for its mistakes in the death of five-year-old Jeffrey in 2002, or any other. Neither are any of its 52 sister children's aid societies in Ontario, which in fiscal 2004-05 collectively ate up $1.174-billion of taxpayers' money.

The only body that even critically examines the deaths of children like Jeffrey is a small, underfunded and woefully short-staffed arm of the Ontario Coroner's Office -- the pediatric death review committee -- and it has no power to enforce change.

Indeed, what the late Ronald Reagan once said about government appears true of Ontario's children's aid societies: They are, in the former U.S. president's words, "like a big baby -- an alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other."

Anonymous said...

The amendments expand the grounds or reasons for finding a child in need of protection, including adding the concept of neglect, and lowering the threshold for determining risk of harm and emotional harm to children.

It also allows evidence of a person's past conduct toward children to be used in child protection court proceedings.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
BY LAW the CCAS should be closed down.
The CAS should be closed down. By law, laws do not pertain to only parents.

Anonymous said...

I wish CAS did not exist.

I also wish child abuse and neglect also did not exist.

Without abuse and neglect CAS would no exist.

What a wonderful world it would be!

Anonymous said...

The Ontario government encourages all the the ethnic groups, aboriginals, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, atheists etc... to have their own protection organizations and their own group homes. I am guessing that atheist organizations want to take over the rest. It is the survival of the fittest. It is abou tall the dirty tricks that you can play to get your way!

Anonymous said...

The quote below and already posted is from the article Failing Jeffrey by Christie Blatchford... it is the most brilliant statement about child welfare, that was written in covering this horrible story.

Indeed, what the late Ronald Reagan once said about government appears true of Ontario's children's aid societies: They are, in the former U.S. president's words, "like a big baby -- an alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other."

The CCAS has yet to address past victims, has yet to account for any crimes, and refuses to be responsible. I hope people stop funding them period. They need to be totally shut down. If that agency does not want to be responsible then they do not deserve to be in that position. It isn't enough for them to sit in an ivory tower, they need to take the reins of this. The lack of the police cooperation only infuriates me more about this case.

Christie Blatchford did an outstanding job with this story, it must have been heartbreaking for her to sit in court.

Anonymous said...

LIBERALS REFUSE OMBUDSMAN OVERSIGHT OF CHILD WELFARE
Fri, 2 Jun 2006

Printer friendly page | Email this article

QUEEN'S PARK - Children and parents dealing with Children’s Aid Societies still don’t have a way to appeal CAS decisions through an independent avenue, despite what the McGuinty government claims, said MPP Andrea Horwath, the NDP Critic for Children and Youth.

Horwath wants the McGuinty Liberals to pass her private members bill that would allow the Ontario Ombudsman independent investigative oversight of CAS decisions. Her Bill 88 passed first reading on April 5 and Horwath has pushed the Liberals to fast-track it into law.

The Hamilton East MPP said Minister Mary Anne Chambers is misleading people by claiming there’s independent oversight when there’s not. Right now, the only place families with concerns can go to complain is to the CAS, the same agency whose initial decision they believe was wrong or unfair, Horwath said.

Chambers, in a letter to Horwath dated May 25, says the government’s Bill 210 does “permit individuals to bring a wide range of complaints to the Child and Family Services Review Board.”

But Horwath noted Bill 210 hasn’t been proclaimed into law, meaning children and families who want an independent third party to investigate questionable CAS decisions still can’t get an impartial hearing.

“I’ve sent families to the Ministry seeking a hearing from the Review Board, but the ministry is refusing them because Bill 210 hasn’t been proclaimed. The Minister is misleading people and adding to the anger and frustration by saying they can appeal to the Child and Family Services Review Board when it’s clear it’s not really an option,” Horwath said.

Horwath cited the case of 11-year-old “J” and his grandparents’ struggle to remove him from CAS foster care where he was being given a daily cocktail of anti-psychotic medications he didn’t need or want. Advocates for “J” were at Queen’s Park today fighting for the rights of others who may be in similar situations where the CAS is involved.

Five provinces - Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia - have Ombudsman oversight of child welfare issues, including child protection. Three others -- Saskatchewan, Quebec and Newfoundland -- have independent oversight through separate offices.

“The system can only benefit from the oversight of the Ombudsman, who can identify systemic and substantive issues on a case by case basis. There’s no good reason for the Minister to prevent this important measure from moving forward,” Horwath said.

Anonymous said...

To date Mary McConnville lost 30 files of information, did not cooperate with the police, and was a cold, brazen bitch on the Fifth Estate and showed no empathy or remorse what so ever.

It is obvious that she has NO REMORSE PERIOD FOR JEFFREY BALDWIN. It is all the more sickening that she suggests that she does. She should be fired, along with all others.. but really CCAS needs to be closed.

If she ever cared about the boy she would have taken the time to look into the files, and her supervisors and social workers would have taken the time as well. It is too late Mary.. do don't try and defend yourselves. All of you need to answer. The lot of you should be ashamed of this disaster.

Anonymous said...

Bravo to those who fought for J, what a sad ordeal he went through. The poor kid will be traumatized for years from the sexual abuse. And God only knows what long term side effects the drugs will have on him. His grandparents losing their savings accounts.

Maybe people are right, maybe the system should all be shut down, and replaced with something that is accountable, and responsible. But we have to protect kids, maybe it would be better to be in police jurisdiction with criminal courts rather then what it is now. Someone suggested it and they have a good idea.

Anonymous said...

I hope that the grandparents of Jeffrey (not the murderers) sue the CCAS. Maybe if the Children's lawyer, other victims, and the grandparents all come at them in an army of people they will be forced to shut down. No one should give them a dime.

If you do see real child abuse, try the police or another agency and boycott them totally.

Anonymous said...

Province Can't Promise Child Won't Die In Foster Care
posted June 10th, 2006

You may recall the story of Jeffery Baldwin. His grandparents are going to jail for 20 years. They were found guilty of second degree murder after he was found starved to death, living in filth in Toronto back in 2002.

Now he was in his grandparents custody, placed there by the Catholic Children's Aid Society.
But Andrea Brittin with Child and Family Services here in Saskatchewan says there really is no way to ensure this won't happen one hundred percent of the time.
when a child is placed outside of their parents home in foster care or group homes. We are finding such placements may put children at more risk. No matter how much we do, back ground checks and more,there is no way we can be sure a placement is safe.

Rod English reporting

Anonymous said...

It also allows evidence of a person's past conduct toward children to be used in child protection court proceedings.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
BY LAW the CCAS should be closed down.
The CAS should be closed down. By law, laws do not pertain to only parents.

who ever posted this how right you are, we know the back ground of child protection or lack of it, by law they should be closed down, the news story above, is true all over, they cant know if a child is safe in a placement, foster parents abuse children too, so do adopted parents. People with a biologic bond to a child are much less likely to harm them. Why children are removed today is NOT always abuse, its the babble risk of later neglect, or abuse. Raise your voice at your spouse, is dometic violence, children removed, tell me who has not raised there voice to a partner, ever?
What are they trying to teach children? life has no risk. The people that come up with this garbage, and chase down parents for nothing, leave Jeffrey and his siblings in horror and had to KNOW, what about when they did the back ground cheaks on Yvonne, they would have found the files. They KNEW.
They should be in jail as well.

When the police and Crown demand a public inguiry and Chambers says no, there is a great deal to hide. Its not just this case, its 1,000
from schools to medical system, everything is blame the parents. When will this government defend the tax payers the familys of this provence, and truly protect us all.

Anonymous said...

Now he was in his grandparents custody, placed there by the Catholic Children's Aid Society.
But Andrea Brittin with Child and Family Services here in Saskatchewan says there really is no way to ensure this won't happen one hundred percent of the time.
when a child is placed outside of their parents home in foster care or group homes. We are finding such placements may put children at more risk. No matter how much we do, back ground checks and more,there is no way we can be sure a placement is safe.

THANK YOU FOR THIS - SO ISN'T ALL THAT MORE PURTID THAT MINISTER CHAMBERS IS WORKING WITH A BABY BROKER THAT HAS THE NERVE TO SUGGEST THAT INFERTILE COUPLES ARE FOREVER SAFE???????

Really why didn't she just dig up Stalin to create this bill?

Anonymous said...

What type of person sells children for a living?

A loaded question.

Anonymous said...

If we want experts, why not locate Adolph Hitler as well in your crystal ball Chambers.

WHO DOES NOT WANT OVERSIGHT OF THE CAS AND WHY?

Anonymous said...

how to find a child? adoption is the price of a car, it could be a luxury sedan, or a compact model?

could be the price of your soul, that has no real estimate...... working with the anti-christ will not prevent other Jeffrey's from happening.

Anonymous said...

The industry doesn't like the Jeffrey Baldwin case, as they counted on it to KILL FAMILY PRESERVATION, INSTEAD IT KILLED A LITTLE BOY. Backfired didn't it you ruthless swines.

Backfired in a way that all of you did not anticipate. You thought it would be okay to just carry on with business as usual.... not happy that the media covered this the way that they did... and not happy that the public wants answers?

If this was done on purpose, which many believe it was, then I hope that you share a cell with dear Elva in the future.

Are you scrambling for defense? A policy vacuum allowed this?

BURN IN HELL TORONTO CCAS, there is no formula to change you, you need to be SHUT DOWN FOREVER. And never be allowed to around children for the rest of your lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Evil attracts evil in many cases doesn't it Mary McConnville - interesting name notice the middle part?

Anonymous said...

I think it is safe to say that we have all come to this site because we care so much about Jeffrey and are extrememly enraged with what happened to him. Let's not let this happen again. If you have a chance, please take a few moments to write/email your local MPP asking for Bill 88 to be passed. Send a copy to Andrea Horwath as well and she will send you a petition that you can sign and have others sign as well. This is something we can all do for Jeffrey. We need to come together and put pressure on the McGuinty government to have oversight by the ombudsman.
Here is the site where you can find your local Ontario MPP info which has addresses and email info:
http://www.ontariotenants.ca/government/mpp.phtml

Anonymous said...

Please sign the petition NOW!!

Petition urges watchdog for CAS
The Expositor (Brantford)
Sat 10 Jun 2006
Page: A3
Section: Local News
Byline: Susan Gamble
Source:
Local parents are circulating a petition to push for the Ontario Ombudsman to oversee Children's Aid Societies.
"Ombudsman oversight is desperately needed to help reform Ontario's Children's Aid Societies," said Faith Stuart, a local grandmother concerned about the power wielded by the CAS.
Stuart and other CAS critics say the child-care organizations in Ontario get $1.3 billion in taxpayer support but operate like private organizations and aren't accountable to anyone.
She and other local residents are circulating a petition asking that the ombudsman get oversight powers.
Ombudsman Andre Marin called on the government in December to let his office address the hundreds of complaints he gets each year about child welfare matters.
"It is deeply disturbing that my office is unable to help our most vulnerable citizens," Marin told the legislature's standing committee on social policy.
"Other provinces in Canada have ombudsman oversight for the CASs," said Stuart. "I believe Ontario is the only one that doesn't."
The petitions, which have already been signed by thousands, can be downloaded from the Internet at www.afterfostercare.ca. To contact Stuart about the petitions, telephone 753-8973.
Another group of parents will be involved in a rally June 20 on the front lawn of Queen's Park at 11 a.m.
That group is also pushing for independent oversight of the CAS in Ontario and is protesting recent changes to the Child and Family Services Act and the unnecessary drugging of children who are in care.
Participants include speakers from After Foster Care, Canada Courtwatch and a Brantford parent involved with the CAS.
For more information on the Queen's Park rally, telephone Rob Ferguson at 754-0927.
© 2006 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Anonymous said...

I think it is safe to say that we have all come to this site because we care so much about Jeffrey and are extrememly enraged with what happened to him. Let's not let this happen again.

- I think this is true..........what was said above.

Anonymous said...

Please come out to the Rally at Queens Park June 20th at 11:OO , Ombudsmans overight of all CCAS and CAS agencys, Jeffreys Law.

Anonymous said...

The Child has never been the client?? The people of this Provence understand that, why is the Minister not protecting Children, and allowing the Child protection agencys to lobby for changes that will harm more children and familys?
No one in this government has forsight, they could not see what happened in the US, ( story below) more children died as a result, of Bills just like 210.
Carole Curtis
260 Richmond St. W.,
Suite 506,
Toronto, ON
M5W 1V5
Phone: (416)340-1850
Fax: (416)340-2432 Proposed adoption law raises many questions
Family Practice
Written by By Carole Curtis
Sunday, 24 July 2005
The provincial government established a Child Welfare Secretariat in April 2004, and hired Bruce Rivers (then executive director of the Toronto Children's Aid Society, the largest CAS in Canada) to head up a law reform initiative. The initiative had many goals, but was intended, in part, to evaluate the changes made to the Child and Family Services Act in 2000, following the report of the panel of experts chaired by Justice Mary Jane Hatton. The Child Welfare Secretariat prepared a report with 40 recommendations, which was submitted to the government, but has not been made public.

Bill 210, Child and Family Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005, was introduced on June 6. The bill amends the act to (among other things) permit courts to make openness orders for Crown wards who are the subject of a plan for adoption.

The number of children in the care of children's aid societies in Ontario has gone from 10,000 to about 19,000 in the last five years (these statistics may be slightly out of date, but are not exaggerated).

In Ontario, there are roughly 9,000 children (called Crown wards) in the permanent care of a children's aid society. Seventy five per cent of them can't be adopted because their family has a court order for access. The government says that majority of those access orders are not used by the parents (i.e., the parents do not see the children). One of the problems in this area is the lack of reliable data about the children in the government's care.

Crown wards with access live in foster and group homes. On average, children in foster or group care are moved every two years. That means a child moves her belongings, leaves her friends, changes schools, lives in a new house, and lives with a new family, facing different rules and new expectations. No one doubts this kind of instability permeates and affects all aspects of the child's life and well-being.

Children's aid societies' budgets went from $500 million to $1.1 billion in less than five years in Ontario. How-ever, currently, children's aid societies are carrying about a $70-million deficit.

Although I have acted and continue to act for all sides of the child protection equation (parents, children, and children's aid societies), my observations on this bill are from the perspective of parents' counsel. I refer to the parents as "the parents" and not as the "biological parents" or the "birth parents" as has become fashionable in this area of practice.

These amendments are a little complicated, and not intuitive. If you work in this area, you will need to read the bill closely.

In the bill, openness is not access. It may mean contact, communication, a card or letter, information, knowledge and for the child, may result in a greater sense of identity.

Before an adoption, only a children's aid society may apply to a court for an openness order (s. 145.1). The test applied is the best interests of the child. The order can only be made on consent of everyone, including the possible adoptive parents. The court can only change or terminate the order before an adoption, based on a material change in circumstances, applying the best interests test, and the children's aid society must agree.

After an adoption, the court can also change an openness order (s. 153). However, the child cannot apply for this change, and the parents cannot apply without leave. Openness can also be the subject of an agreement.

This law reform initiative raises mostly questions. Initially, there is a concern that the focus of law reform not be at the end of the process (at the Crown wardship/adoption stage) when it is too late to help this family stay together. Why isn't the energy and money being put into the front end of the process, in keeping families that need help together?

What is the philosophy behind this initiative? What is intended by this initiative? And for whose benefit? Is there any empirical data about this? Is this meant to benefit the parents? Is it meant to free up more kids for adoption? Who is the client here? (i.e., whom does the government identify as the client?).

Don't tell me the child is the client: that has never been the case. Parents and their lawyers will tell you that the government has always seen the adoptive parents as the real client.

What results are intended or expected? Is this meant to reduce the number of kids in care at the early stages? Is this meant to reduce the number of kids in long-term foster care (Crown ward with access, in foster care)? Will there be applications to court to terminate those several thousand access orders that are now not being exercised, and replace them with openness orders?

What is the structure really intended to be? What sort of contact is envisaged? Remember that the word used is "openness," not access or contact. What rights accrue to these children during minority and at age 18 — are there any different rights than now? Is the contact envisaged by the parents different from the contact envisaged by the adoptive parents?

Why does the government cling to the use of the term "adoption?" What about permanent placement? Adoption itself is not a panacea, particularly in an evolving multi-cultural society. Like fostering, adoption is a concept quite foreign to some cultures.

What will the court order look like? What will the "usual" terms be? Will any retroactive orders be permitted? Who are the parties to these orders?

What about enforceability? Who will these orders bind? Who are the parties to these orders? What, if any, is the continuing role for children's aid societies after adoption? Who will enforce these orders?

And finally, from the parent's perspective, what do parents think this means? Do they think it means access? Will parents think this a better solution? What is really being offered to parents here? Will this make settlement of Crown wardship cases easier?

There are many bad names one can call a woman in our society, but there is nothing as horrible to a woman as calling her a bad mother. This is really what these cases are about. Losing your child forever is the worst thing that could possibly happen to a parent. A Crown wardship case is the capital punishment of family law.

While there may be research which supports the validity of reform in this area, it has not been made available. It is a great skill that lawyers are taught, to take something nearly everyone thinks is a good idea and pick it apart until almost nobody thinks it is. There is much in this bill to consider.

Carole Curtis is a family law lawyer in a three-lawyer firm in Toronto. She can be reached at carolecurtis@carolecurtis.com

Anonymous said...

Increasing adoptions: A good idea gone wrong?
By Lea Thompson
Chief consumer correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 7:33 p.m. ET June 13, 2006



COVINGTON, Ky. - Almost 10 years ago, Congress passed a law that gives states bonuses if they can get children languishing in foster care adopted quickly.

It sounds like a great idea, but now some child welfare experts say those bonuses have turned into nothing more than bounties that are putting some children at risk.

When Kentucky Child Welfare Supervisor Pat Moore learned two children were about to be adopted into a home with a convicted felon, she went to her bosses.
Story continues below ↓ advertisement

“They wanted me to shut up and get the adoptions completed. Period. No questions asked,” Moore says.

The adoptions would have flown through, she says, if she hadn't blown the whistle.

Tom Beiting was the court-appointed guardian.

“It's outrageous,” he says. “I believe they were going for the numbers — to get their numbers up.”

But why would a state pressure welfare workers to force adoptions?

One reason may be money. States can earn federal bonuses for keeping adoption numbers high, and in Kentucky workers can even get extra vacation.

“It was illegal what was happening,” Moore says. “And nobody was doing anything. What they did every year is they set a quota based on the previous year's number of adoptions.”

An NBC News computer analysis shows adoptions have risen dramatically nationwide — in Kentucky they've tripled in six years — while those federal bonuses have grown to more than $1 million.

But the number of kids returned to their parents has dropped sharply. States don't get bonuses for that.

“If you receive money for doing one thing, and you receive nothing from doing the other, it's not much of a choice after a while,” Beiting says.

Critics say the promise of federal money is pushing kids into dangerous adoptions — a charge Tom Emberton, Kentucky's child welfare chief, denies.

“I am comfortable with the oversight that we have in place to ensure that our decisions are appropriate," Emberton says.

Wade Horn runs the federal government's child welfare system and says any quotas are inappropriate. “No state should ever make a decision about a permanency option for a child based on finances," he said.

“These are human beings,” Moore says. “They're not statistics. They're not numbers. They're lives.”

Moore says she was forced out for speaking out — a claim the state denies. She is suing the state, which, at last count, had more than 2,000 kids up for adoption.
© 2006 MSNBC Interactive



Anonymous said...

Rally June 20 11:00 Queens Park

Anonymous said...

Cases
HUMAN RIGHTS: R v Finland (Application no 34141/96)
(European Court of Human Rights; 30 May 2006) The child had been placed in a children's home on the basis of the mother's violent behaviour and both parents' incapacity to raise him. The care order clearly intended placement with a substitute family and a process of separation from the biological parents. At first the father had been permitted to see the child once or twice a month, later this was reduced to once every other month. Three years after the initial placement the child was moved to a substitute family. Over the years, the father had instituted proceedings seeking the return of the child or increased access, without success.

There had been no serious and sustained effort made by social welfare authority to facilitate family reunification. The severe restrictions on the father's right to visit the child reflected the authority's rejection of any attempt to reunify the father and child. The failure to take sufficient steps to facilitate the possible reunification of the family constituted a violation of Art 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950.


Violation of Article 8
R. v. Finland (application no 34141/96) No violation of Article 6 § 1 (length)
The applicant, R., is a Finnish national who was born in 1958.
In November 1992 the applicant’s five-year-old son was placed in a children’s home on account of his late development, the mother’s violent behaviour and both parents’ incapacity to raise him. The boy was moved to a substitute family in June 1995.
The care order anticipated that the boy would need long term care and it aimed to place him in a substitute family. According to an entry in the boy’s care records, as kept by the children’s home, the intention was that M. should be placed with substitute parents and that the process of separation from his biological parents should be started.
The applicant was initially allowed to see his son once or sometimes twice a month in the children’s home and subsequently once every other month. The applicant requested the termination of public care in September 1993 and again in January 1994 and brought two sets of access proceedings, without success.
The applicant complained that there had been no legal basis for maintaining the relevant public care order or access restrictions. He also complained about the length and fairness of the proceedings. He relied on Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time) and Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
./..
The European Court of Human Rights found that no serious and sustained effort had been made by the social welfare authority to facilitate a family reunification during the many years the boy was in care. Furthermore, it found that the severe restrictions on the applicant’s right to visit his son reflected the social welfare authority’s intention to strengthen the ties between the boy and his substitute carers rather than to reunite the applicant and his son. Concluding that the authorities failed to take sufficient steps to facilitate a possible reunification of the applicant’s family, the Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 8.
The Court also held unanimously that there had been no violation of Article 6 § 1 on account of the length of the various proceedings and that it was not necessary to examine whether there had been a violation of Articles 6 § 1, 8 and 13 as regards the remaining aspects of the proceedings. The applicant made no claim for compensation or costs and expenses. (The judgment is available only in English.)


this is where it will all end up. There are cases in Ontario going to the international courts now.

Anonymous said...

What they are doing is against Human Rights.

Anonymous said...

Russia to Ban Independent Foreign Adoptions

Created: 23.05.2006 15:46 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 17:28 MSK

MosNews

Independent adoptions of Russian children by foreign citizens will be banned in Russia by the end of this year, a senior education ministry official said Tuesday. According to ministry figures, 12 Russian children adopted by non-Russian families have died of abuse since 1991. Eleven of the cases were registered in the United States, RIA Novosti News agency reports.

“The ministry has drafted amendments to the federal law on adoptions that prohibit foreign families from adopting Russian children without the assistance of licensed adoptions agencies,” Sergei Apatenko said. He added that the government had already approved the amendments and the State Duma, parliament’s lower chamber, was set to consider them in two months.

Apatenko said most problems were linked with cases of foreign adoptions when foreigners took children from Russian orphanages independently without addressing specialized agencies. “As a rule, such families... contacted adoption agencies that had no accreditation in Russia and failed to inform bodies about children’s living conditions overseas,” he said.

Foreign families had adopted 64,000 Russian children since 1999, when foreign adoptions were allowed in the country, whereas Russian families had adopted 157,000 children. Senior education ministry official stressed that adoption procedures in Russia should be simplified to reduce the number of foreign adoptions.
SEE ALSO

14.06.2006 15:26 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
American Woman Pleads Guilty in Russian Adoptions Fraud Trial

29.05.2006 17:50 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
1,220 Adopted Russian Children Dead Since 1991

01.03.2006 20:43 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
US Woman Pleads Guilty in Adopted Russian Daughter Murder

09.02.2006 12:51 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Woman Charged for Beating Adopted Russian Handicapped Child

24.01.2006 14:30 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia, U.S. Halt Activities of Adoption Firm Suspected of Human Trafficking

11.01.2006 11:21 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
US Prosecutors File Lawsuit Against Russian Adoption Agency

19.12.2005 17:41 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Officials Charged in Connection With Deaths of Adopted Children in U.S.

19.12.2005 13:45 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Moscow Court Fines Woman $12,000 for Trading in Children

30.11.2005 13:12 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Allocates $400,000 to Help Russian Children With HIV

16.11.2005 15:13 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Rights Ombudsman Opposes Ban on Foreign Adoption of Russian Children

14.09.2005 15:38 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Court Rejects U.S. Mormon Couple’s Request to Adopt 4 Russian Sisters

13.09.2005 15:34 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Top Russian Prosecutor Reports Foreign Adoption Violations

08.09.2005 15:58 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia to Clamp Down on Foreign Adoption Agencies Violating Law

27.08.2005 15:57 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan Agree on Creation of Common Economic Space

24.08.2005 12:19 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Adopted Russian Girl Sees Father Convicted in Child Porn Case

09.08.2005 12:44 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Court Sentences 2 Officials for Aiding Illegal Foreign Adoption

08.08.2005 15:11 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Upper Chamber of Russian Parliament Suggests Introducing Moratorium on Foreign Adoptions

05.08.2005 12:18 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Teachers Charged With Starving Adopted Russian Boy to Death

02.08.2005 12:01 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Politician Proposes Moratorium on Adoption of Russian Children by U.S. Citizens

28.07.2005 13:03 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Laws Force Azeri Mother to Abandon Baby on Train

20.07.2005 12:15 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Senior Russian Official Calls for Moratorium on U.S. Adoptions

19.07.2005 15:31 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Over 1000 Russian Children Killed by Parents in Last 5 Years — Top Official

12.07.2005 15:24 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Orphan Killed in U.S. Adopted Illegally — Ministry of Education

11.07.2005 18:09 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Orphans: We Won’t Take Them, You Can’t Have Them

11.07.2005 15:48 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Prosecutors Say Girl Killed in U.S. Adopted in Accordance With Law

10.07.2005 14:48 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Prosecution Doubts the Legitimacy of Adoption of Russian Girl Killed by U.S. Mother

08.07.2005 22:17 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Woman Charged With Killing Adopted Child from Russia

30.06.2005 15:27 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Prosecutors Say Adoption Middlemen Put Money Before Children’s Welfare

16.06.2005 15:02 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Illegal Adoption Scam Uncovered in Russia’s Vladivostok
So as other Countries slam the doors, Ontario goes into it. what fools, how many children will die, do they care, no, NBC is reporting on the corruption in the USA on adoptions, Ontario want opens for business, child trafficking is against the law, no matter how they sugar coat it, with best interest, and protection, and so forth, removing children from families needs to stop.
,,

Anonymous said...

Rally June 20 Queens Park at 11:00
how many children need to die, how many familys need to suffer? WE are the People, that the governement are suppose to listen to.
We need to hold them to account.

Anonymous said...

Don't tell me the child is the client: that has never been the case. Parents and their lawyers will tell you that the government has always seen the adoptive parents as the real client.


Taken from Ontarios Lawyers post

Rally for the children of On,
June 20 time 11'00 Queens Park.

Anonymous said...

Don't tell me the child is the client: that has never been the case. Parents and their lawyers will tell you that the government has always seen the adoptive parents as the real client.

Reply - I agree and that makes Bill 210 all the more concerning. The CAS SHOULD NOT be given a loaded gun to take thousands of children for the adoption industry under the guise of child protection. In fact if they would stop that ruthless practice and focus on actual protection cases tragedies may be less. The system never should have been, and still should not be about finding children for people who want them, it should be about helping families wherever possible, and finding actual safety when that it is not possible. But missing in this is the rights of men and their families. My guess is that they are going to be as dismal with this as they are now. If men and their families have rights it dampers the industry.

Without oversight it is open season on families to capture products.

Anonymous said...

The failure to enact oversight after Jeffrey really speaks to the real agenda of that bill. It is not enough for them to make a bill, and allege various things in it. At this point considering Jeffrey it needs oversight like it never has before.

Amanda said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

EP urges Romania to combat corruption, organized crime
Bucharest Daily News, Romania - 14 Jun 2006
... to demonstrate substantive further results in the fight against corruption, with special ... A day before the adoption of the resolution, the Dutch Senate approved ...

they needed to steal babys in Ont, the others are all being closed down, the arm pit of Canada is going it to buisness, Something Minister Cahmers coming from the Bank of NS as VP should know all to well, she is not Minister of children she is a very wealthy buisness women in bed or part of the courution called child protection, why else no over sight Minister, and what king of back groound can you offer children . your dear buddys may make more money, open swiss accounts, well the islands are safer. call me and I will let you know how to wash the money.
So what is a VP Banker doing in this post at all.

And how dare her be rude to J grandparents. SHAME.

Maria was smart, this rats nest will crack open, on whos head will it fall.

Anonymous said...

This is a good example of how CAS cares for children.

Not surprisingly, the agency visited the foster home only hours before the reporter and did nothing. What a hypocritical double standard. Think what would happen if a parent committed even one of these infractions.

If the government had any sense, it would make it mandatory to report any suspicion of CAS abuse - to the media. Kudos to the landlord!

TWO B.C. FOSTER CHILDREN SEIZED FROM SQUALOR

Updated Thu. Jun. 15 2006 9:50 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

An overwhelming stench of urine and feces, a filthy litter box inches from the refrigerator, and rotting food everywhere -- definitely not a place you would want to call home, let alone a foster home.

The landlord of this filthy Victoria, B.C. home opened the doors to CTV to expose the unhygienic conditions, in an attempt to garner enough attention to have the two foster children living in the squalor removed.

The story prompted the B.C. government to launch a full investigation into the deplorable incident, which the landlord calls a "black eye for British Columbia."

And this isn't the first time the province's child protection system has been criticized. In April, retired B.C. judge Ted Hughes filed a report calling the system an unstable mess.

The dreadful foster home discovery is only one of many complaints about the way the province protects its most vulnerable.

"I have been a landlord for 40 years and a realtor for 21, and I have seen everything -- but I have not seen this. It was so shocking, I couldn't absorb it," landlord Ray Headrick told CTV on Thursday.

After CTV Vancouver aired footage from the foster home's conditions, child welfare officials removed the two children Wednesday night.

Headrick said he first noticed the stench a month and a half ago, but figured the B.C. Ministry of Children and Families would take action. He made several visits to Ministry offices, he said, to alert social workers of the situation.

However, the conditions became so horrendous, that maintenance workers were unable to enter the rental unit.

"We needed to replace some windows and I talked my way in, and when my installer was gagging and refusing to put the windows in the house, I just had to do something," Headrick said.

He said it wasn't his first choice to contact the media. But after several visits to the Ministry that him got nowhere, Headrick became frustrated with the process and concerned for the children's well-being.

"I just told them and threatened them that I would call the media, and they sort of stonewalled me, so I did," he said.

After the story aired on CTV, child welfare officials released a statement saying "conditions of the foster home are not acceptable, however...this is the first and only complaint ever registered by the landlord regarding this residence."

It went on to say that the home was being visited on a regular basis by Ministry officials.

When CTV caught up with the foster mother, she said she was unable to cope with the responsibilities any longer and that the conditions were not suitable for children.

Asked if she believed she was providing a well-kept home for her foster children, Gaetane Jarvinen told CTV Vancouver: "No, it's not, I agree with you. That's what I'm saying, I cannot keep up anymore."

Until very recently, Jarvinen had four foster children. Health concerns had her planning to retire sometime this summer.

Child welfare officials said that the two children seized Wednesday night are safe and relatively clean despite the conditions in the home.

Investigation promised

Stan Hagen, B.C.'s minister of children and family development, has promised an investigation.

"There's no question this is a bad situation. It should not have happened, we want to get to the bottom of how it happened, so it can't happen again."

Hagen told CTV Vancouver that he specifically wants to know how a government-approved social worker who inspected the home the night before the pictures of the home were taken decided to leave the children in the home.

"Can you fathom anybody leaving the kids in the house . . . for even five more minutes?" asked CTV Vancouver reporter Jim Beatty.

"No, I can't," said Hagen, adding: "My children would never be left in that environment for 10 seconds."

News of the appalling home for abused children marks another strike against British Columbia's already tarred child protection reputation. In April, the B.C. government admitted that 715 child deaths had not been reviewed properly.

"Let's face it, if you hadn't gone in there yesterday, Jim, the children would still be in that home," NDP critic Adrian Dix told CTV Vancouver.

Dix said while it's clear the latest discovered case involves questionable judgment calls by a foster worker, the Ministry also continues to suffer from budget cuts, overstressed foster parents and social workers.

"We talk about millions of dollars of cuts and everything else. When it comes down to it, though, this is where the rubber meets the road. And for the children involved, it's just awful. "

In response to recent criticism, the Liberals introduced legislation to establish a new, independent children's watchdog.

Anonymous said...

The foster care provider with an open half filled whisky bottle on her table claims she could no longer keep up. Yet, the system shows absolutely no sympathy for parents whose shortcomings are minor.

Typically, the agency is attempting to evade any accountability, claiming the CTV story was the first recorded evidence of any complaint by the landlord - ignoring the fact his continual complaints over a 6 week period were ignored.

Its hard to imagine slimier worms than those who populate the child welfare universe. The system needs to be scrapped.

Anonymous said...

Funny how the child welfare system holds itself to a double standard. I don't recall any CAS official ever stating, "conditions of the parent's home may or may not be acceptable, however...this is the first and only complaint ever registered by the anonymous complainant regarding this residence." On the contrary, kids are whisked off to a hellhole like the one in this story as a matter of feigned urgency - while the monsters in their employ are protected. Does anyone still believe these agencies care about anything other than their own preservation? Sick and twisted sleazeoids to be sure.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how quickly those with a social worker mind-set blubber that they are overworked and under stress.
How about incompetent, uncaring and unaccountable? How about a complete pig?

This whiner had absolutely no responsibility compared with parents who raise their children with no compensation and who lose them to misfits like her.

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey Baldwin, should be looking forward to the last days of school, the class trips, his report card, (or not) what summer camp would he have chosen? did he like Mad Science, was he good in math, did he enjoy reading? what flavour of ice cream would have been his favourite, pizza days? dreaming of a new bike?
fighting and making up with siblings, but non the less siblings for life.
Would he have wanted to be a fireman, a policeman ( that would have surly rescued him if they had only known)
a plumber, a waiter, or would have Jeffrey Baldwin,maybe he could have won the Nobel prize, found the cure for AIDs, ( amazing people have climbed there way out of poverty and been the first in the family to go on to University and do amazing things,) maybe he would have said just the right thing to a friend a prevented a suicide, or held a young girls hand, and made her feel special, carried grocery's to an elderly mans car.
We will never know, and Every child lost, is a loss to us all. Matthew Reid a three year old toddler, the names of the children that have been murdered in care, is forever growing, how many leaders have we lost, how many great minds, how many??
How many never abused children are in care, suffering today. We do know there are far to many,
And is it any wonder that Europeans, call this agency Nazis. This Government when it comes to child protection agencies, over and over again is referred to as the Nazis with SS agents calling themselves social workers.
I use to think they were all a little touched.
Today I understand they have a point.Many people ignored the holocaust, the government the police, the press, the good people, the body's piled up on the streets, but it was denied, how many noble prize winners may have died, how many amazing children. Genocide, some say never again, is it possible, is it even remotely a concern for many.

The UN has Canada on its list???
Not because we don't have child protection agencies, but because of them!!!
I am disgusted, and so are many others by the lack of this governments action.
How long can they deny what's going on?
How will history tell this story?

Anonymous said...

Get off your OPINIONATED fat-asses on June 20 and come and show real support for the cause!

Anonymous said...

come out and take your gags off
Rally June 20 at 11;00 Queens Park,

Parents who no one will listen to,
that live with the fear everyday that their children will be taken from them, Parents that have had children stolen at birth. MOTHERS stop the abuse of so many mothers, the poor, the young, the new immigrant, the advocates, the so called MSBP moms come out and get vaccinated, be seen
but cautious it must be contagious.

Fathers stop abusing fathers, children in homes with fathers do better and always have. Children with two parents are blessed, stop allowing forced separation of family's.


Parents,and relatives that are gagged to protect the identity of the child, what crap, its to prevent the numbers of you all being seen, to prevent the atrocities of what so many have been though from being heard.


People that have survived the systems failures.
The Crown Wards, that never wore a crown, the State as a Parent?

How many are went into care, to suffer for years, to many have that used against them.Children in care, we are all sorry, we did not know how much you hurt.
Shame.

The aboriginals,
dear god, Shame on us all.

Grandparents that have to fight to save their own, from the abuse of agencies. J. just the tip of the iceberg.
Thank you grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, Relatives taking care of there OWN family's like they have for centuries for one reason or another, till Child Protection Agency's got involved. Now they go broke trying to rescue there own children.
SHAME, Shame on the government.

Home schooling parents, that are targets of the agencies, ( noticed the national spelling B, the worlds science fares,( home schooled children the winners in all) Good job parents.

The Christians, come out of hiding, its not a crime to have faith.
Holiday trees, the political correct are losing their minds. Pray for them.And all of us that have lost are faith what ever it was, because what god could allow this?

The Parents of special needs children,who have had to go though hell and high water. And STILL advocate for their OWN Children and always have, good job parents.
SHAME on this government.

The many parents that have adopted children that KNOW now, the
time they spent in so called care, was far worse then anytime they spent with there natural family's, don't fear them, come out for the sake of the children, you now love also.

Embrace the truth.
And truly protect children, and family's from the so called protectors.


The brave doctors, lawyers, foster good parents,teachers, nurses, psychologist, judges, police officers, reporters,politicians and their assistants, advocates,
the people next door, how many have spoken out, far to many.
How long can we deny this?

OVERSIGHT why do they fight it?

Necessary to say the least.
Public Inquiry is as well.

Rally June 20 at Queens park,
11:00

Anonymous said...

LOL to the poster above the last one, that my opinion, and my ass is not fat, you can come and see it at the rally.
Good for you.
and make some calls as well please

Anonymous said...

6. Who the heck did Marie Boutrogiani annoy? Her move to Intergovernmental Affairs is a shocker. I guess McGuinty's people didn't want to blame themselves for lying to autistic children and their parents and found a scape goat!

Two Predictions:

1. Chambers is in way over her head - the NDP will make mince meat of her in Question Period and in front of the Estimates Committee.


June 29/05 - This morning Premier Dalton McGuinty shuffled his cabinet. I was not surprised he left his high profile central team in place. However, here are my comments:

Leaving Mary Anne Chambers in cabinet astonishes me - she has been a non-player. She will get the government in trouble in her new role as Children's Minister - its a mine field...trust me I know.
from John Bairds blog.

Yes the government should be in trouble Mr Baird, it is a mine feild ask the parents. A real rats nest
Maria was shocked by the corruption of it all.

Anonymous said...

Note: June 6/06- I sent Gary an email asking for an update on the below issue, hopefully they will take the time to respond.

"May 5, 1998 Ottawa Garry Breitkreuz, M.P. for Yorkton-Melville, lost a battle in his war with the government over parental rights and responsibilities. Breitkreuz� private members motion (M-33) was opposed by the government and dropped from the order of business.
"M-33 would have given parents a few rights when it comes to determining what is in their children's best interests," said Breitkreuz. ...Motion M-33 called on Parliament to amend Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to: (a) recognize the fundamental right of individuals to pursue family life free from undue interference by the state, and (b) recognize the fundamental right, responsibility and liberty of parents to direct the upbringing of their children, and urge the legislative assemblies of the provinces to do likewise.

'I�m disappointed that government bureaucrats will still be able to take children from their parents with little or no evidence and with little or no investigation to determine if the accusations against the parents are true or false. Children are suffering abuse as a result of the government�s gestapo tactics. (emphasis mine-canadesign) Parents often spend months and thousands of dollars to prove the government made terrible mistakes. But by then the damage of removing the children from their parent�s love and care is already done.' During his speech, Breitkreuz outlined a number of horror stories of children who have been victimized by overzealous bureaucrats...

Breitkreuz accused the government of sweeping this issue under the rug after his attempt to make his motion votable was rejected. The Liberals, Progressive Conservatives and N.D.P. all spoke against the motion. 'This leaves only one political party left defending the family,' Breitkreuz pointed out.

'This issue is not dead," declared Breitkreuz. I�ll continue to look for other legislative measures to give both children and parents more protection from these overzealous bureaucrats who defy the principles of fundamental justice. I will continue to defend families from the government�s social engineers who work behind parents backs using the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as their legal justification," promised Breitkreuz. "The process of amending the Charter can start in the federal Parliament or any provincial legislature. I encourage concerned parents and family members to encourage their Provincial Members of Parliament or Legislature to introduce a parental rights resolution. One way or another we will do what is right.'


Liberals Kill Debate on Parental Rights and Responsibility Motion
Ottawa: Garry Breitkreuz, M.P. for Yorkton-Melville
"...the Saskatchewan MP continues to introduce petitions supporting parental rights and responsibilities. He has introduced 241petitions with 4,261 signatures opposing various sections of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and 10 petitions with 920 signatures of Canadians who support the current wording of Section 43 of the Criminal Code."
"...The way this Liberal government is ramming through legislation without allowing common sense amendments is a violation of the fundamental principles of democracy."

Anonymous said...

They can never say we did not know, they have known for years, all the money in the world, cant keep this under wraps forever. How many people can they gag,

RALLY JUNE 20 11:00 Queens Park

Anonymous said...

Leaving Mary Anne Chambers in cabinet astonishes me - she has been a non-player. She will get the government in trouble in her new role as Children's Minister - its a mine field...trust me I know.
from John Bairds blog

How true

Anonymous said...

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
INTO MATTERS RELATING TO THE DEATH OF NEIL STONECHILD
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS GIVEN AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF
THE INQUIRY HEARINGS
September 8, 2003
I intend to make some preliminary comments before the inquiry begins formally.
I want to emphasize as I have before how important it is that the proceedings of the inquiry
be as fair and balanced as possible, mindful of the interests of the parties. It is also essential
that the public have as much information about the proceedings as possible, commensurate
with the proper conduct of the hearings and the interests of the parties involved. The role of
the media will be very important. In matters of this sort there must be transparency and
accountability.

It is helpful, I believe, to refer to the comments made by the Ontario Court of Appeal in Re
The Children’s Aid Society of the County of York.

I refer particularly to the following
quotations. Firstly to those of Mr. Justice Mulock who said:
. . . in answering the questions submitted it might be advisable
to point out the nature of the inquiry in question. It is one to
bring to light evidence or information touching matters referred
to the Commissioner. . . . The Commissioner should avail
himself of all reasonable sources of information, giving a wide
scope to the inquiry. If, for example, some person were to
inform the Commissioner where useful documents or other
evidence could be obtained, it would seem reasonable that he
avail himself of such a source of information. . . . It is for the
Commissioner, from all available sources, to bring to light such
evidence as may have a bearing on the matters referred to him.
Page 2
- 2 -
. . .
(emphasis added)
And the comments of Mr. Justice Riddell:
. . . A Royal Commission is not for the purpose of trying a case
or a charge against any one, any person or any institution–but
for the purpose of informing the people concerning the facts of
the matter to be inquired into. Information should be sought in
every quarter available. . . .
Everyone able to bring relevant facts before the Commission
should be encouraged, should be urged, to do so.
Nor are the strict rules of evidence to be enforced; much that
could not be admitted on a trial in Court may be of the utmost
assistance to the Commission. . . .
(emphasis added)
And finally the comments of Mr. Justice Middleton:
. . . It is an inquiry not governed by the same rules as are
applicable to the trial of an accused person. The public, for
whose service this Society was formed, is entitled to full
knowledge of what has been done by it and by those who are its
agents and officers and manage its affairs. What has been done
in the exercise of its power and in discharge of its duties is that
which the Commissioner is to find out; so that any abuse, if
abuse exist, may be remedied and misconduct, if misconduct
exist, may be put an end to and be punished, not by the
Commissioner, but by appropriate proceedings against any
offending individual.
This is a matter in which the fullest inquiry should be
permitted. All documents should be produced, and all witnesses
should be heard, and the fullest right to cross-examine should be
permitted. Only in this way can the truth be disclosed.
Page 3
- 3 -
. . .
(emphasis added)
Counsel will recognize that these observations are contained in my ruling with respect to the
polygraph evidence. They are of sufficient importance however to bear repeating.
I intent to now invite Mr. Hesje to make some preliminary remarks and to outline for us all
the course he expects the evidence will take and the order of the witnesses for the inquiry.
I should say before he begins that at the conclusion of his remarks I will invite counsel to
raise any matter which they think is appropriate at this juncture so you will have an
opportunity to speak then.
Mr. Hesje . . .

How many children die in care? will we ever know?
The Agencys all need to have an inquiry, the public should be made aware of the facts, informed and understanding what the real risk are to a child and family before ever calling CAS to report concerns.

With this government still not telling the truth, about oversight, with the agencys fighting NOT to be held accountable, with the police and crown demanding a public inquiry into CCAS and child protection, and This government said NO.
there much a lot to hide.

Anonymous said...

York CAS, Windsor, Essex CAS Hamilton CAS and CCAS
Toronto's CCAS, Ottawa's CAS.
Brampton CAS, Dufferins CAS.
seem to be the worst offenders in Ontario.

Anonymous said...

Leaving Mary Anne Chambers in cabinet astonishes me

John Baird is not alone with that thought

Anonymous said...

[PDF] The Objectives of a Commission of Inquiry and the Standard ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Ontario, The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Certain Deaths at the Hospital for Sick Children and Related. Matters (Ontario Ministry of the Attorney ...
www.stonechildinquiry.ca/finalreport/part3.pdf - Similar pages
[ More results from www.stonechildinquiry.ca ]

did the CAS assist, read it.

Anonymous said...

Polar bears' cannibalism, deaths raise concerns

TENILLE BONOGUORE

Two polar bears have starved to death and two others were found dead this year in the region where scientists previously discovered unprecedented cannibalism within the population.

Scientists were stunned to discover that two mother polar bears had been stalked, killed and eaten near their Beaufort Sea dens, and that much larger male bears cannibalized a young male during the spring of 2004.

Now, four more dead polar bears have been found in the Alaskan and Canadian regions of the Beaufort Sea, and researchers are getting worried.

What does this have to do with child protection, EVERYTHING, the government is still not dealing with oil and gas, and toxins in the environment.

Polar bears turn on each other, only when they are very sick, they are dying, it has been said for many years once the polar bears go, the human race has about 20 years left.
Ever wonder why society seems more violent are youth and children cant learn, the public is sicker, more cancers. Because they did not listen. and it is to late to save the planet. So child protection????? every cent available should have been spent years ago.
Ontario is so polluted its a wonder anyone lives past age 2. But look at their blood, no one ever expected to see that the children have been poisoned, by allowing industry to lobby government. Where was the Precautionary principal?
Child Protection, what hypocrites.

Order an public inquiry into all CAS agencys. And stop the bull.

Anonymous said...

We all failed Jeffrey
Toronto Star, Canada - 9 Jun 2006
... And calls for a public inquiry have fallen on deaf ears. ... "This is not the only case where there have been issues with the CCAS,'' reminded Mike Davis, the now ...

Calgary Sun, Canada - 9 Jun 2006
... Mike Davis, a former Toronto police detective and lead investigator on the case, said he ... "I believe there should be nothing less than a public inquiry on this ...

But Chambers says no!! and no oversight. we are going into adoption buisness,

Anonymous said...

Increasing adoptions: A good idea gone wrong?
State bonuses for getting kids adopted quickly could have put them at risk.
NBC news,

Foster Care failed, the CAS admits it failed the thousands of children the put in foster homes and group homes.

so what do they do, try and make more money, and adopt out more children. The US has found that may it does not work, more children died, and the level of corruption was to hard to hide, even for someone like Chambers, it will be difficult, ask John Baird.

Rally June 20 at 11:00 Queens Park

Anonymous said...

The European Court of Human Rights found that no serious and sustained effort had been made by the social welfare authority to facilitate a family reunification during the many years the boy was in care. Furthermore, it found that the severe restrictions on the applicant’s right to visit his son reflected the social welfare authority’s intention to strengthen the ties between the boy and his substitute carers rather than to reunite the applicant and his son. Concluding that the authorities failed to take sufficient steps to facilitate a possible reunification of the applicant’s family, the Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 8.

We will have to take case to the internatinal courts, to the UN, and Human rights , if we still have them.
Many parents do NOT understand they do not have rights,in Canada, so waht on earth are we doing in a war.
The liberals, colours are no mistake, red for commies

Anonymous said...

The European Court of Human Rights found that no serious and sustained effort had been made by the social welfare authority to facilitate a family reunification during the many years the boy was in care. Furthermore, it found that the severe restrictions on the applicant’s right to visit his son reflected the social welfare authority’s intention to strengthen the ties between the boy and his substitute carers rather than to reunite the applicant and his son. Concluding that the authorities failed to take sufficient steps to facilitate a possible reunification of the applicant’s family, the Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 8.

We will have to take case to the internatinal courts, to the UN, and Human rights , if we still have them.
Many parents do NOT understand they do not have rights,in Canada, so waht on earth are we doing in a war.
The liberals, colours are no mistake, red for commies

Anonymous said...

With respect to John Baird - he was also the Minister in charge of Community and Social Services and did nothing what so ever to address the CAS. He was a horse's ass so to speak in this mess. While he has a point about Chambers it is ridiculous that he or anyone from the Conservative party berate the Liberals for any of this.

Baird and his cronies were a three ring circus the last time around - we as well have called the legislation "the big top" under them.

The NDP remains the ONLY party willing to take on CAS. And Tory and remaining cronies NEVER WANT TO ADDRESS IT PERIOD, as it might take away tax dollars for large corporations, and white men on Bay street. They don't care about CAS and the mess period.

Maybe the next election the NDP can guarantee that they will bring in Ombudsman oversight, and my guess is that they will. No other party wants to rein them in but the NDP.

Anonymous said...

Let's face it - many kids are in care due to poverty, as rather then supporting families they are paying strangers in foster care. Harper and co. have gutted childcare in Canada which will directly lead to more apprehensions. Poverty is a real problem in this country and killing childcare is a stupid measure to address it. If one is a single father or mother in this country and they have to work to support themselves and their children then who will take their kids? Who will watch them? If they cannot find childcare how will they work?

A nanny state is one thing, but gutting all means of support for single parents and families themselves is not the answer here either. And Jay Hill remember has given a $10,000 tax break to infertile couples to buy babies from foreign countries? How is that helping the state of affairs?

Harper is a patriarchal machine that has a religious radical dogma, it is a frightening backwards step for all women in this country. He wants people balled and chained to ideals that went out in the early part of the 1900's.

The track record of dealing with the CAS has been the most dismal display in Canadian politics ever with the Conservatives. They DON'T CARE PERIOD.

The only party in Ontario advocating for CAS change is the NDP and to anyone that suggests this not to be true, then post some proof otherwise. A guised dogma of Harper supporting families is a total farce.

The Liberals and Bill 210 have created a mess, but it would be much worse with Tory and co.....

Anonymous said...

I know that in the halls of the provincial gov't the NDP appears very good and in favour of overhauling CAS etc.

But beware! They just happen to be the party with the least likelihood of ever being elected. One must not believe everything they hear and read.....does anyone remember Sheila Copps promising to eliminate the GST???

They are all politicians--they will do whatever is necessary to get votes. The NDP is no better than the others--they are a bunch of liars and jokers.

Harper is a George Bush wannabee.

Anonymous said...

hard to understand why anyone would want to be a moron Bush wanna be.

Forget the politicos. Its we the people in the US and its we people in On. that need to Rally Tues June 20th Queens Park.t 11:00 for oversight and changes to Childrens aid societys,

Anonymous said...

The state has taken over all these functions, and the hospitals have begun to flirt with budget-driven euthanasia, the schools have become agents of faddish social engineering, social welfare has become an industry, "and our most cherished institutions are becoming inhumane," he said.
Calgarian Brian Rushfeldt, executive director of the Canada Family Action Coalition, thinks "a little persecution" may soon be in the works. He worries about an unspoken, even unconscious agreement between Canada's cultural elite and its public administration.

Rushfeldt pointed to the Piss Pope exhibit at the publicly funded Vancouver Art Gallery -- a statue of Pope John Paul II immersed in human urine -- and to a Manitoba provincial art show that gave first prize to a drawing of the crucified Christ being sodomized by a priest. In both cases, government officials defended the "free speech" of artists they were funding.

"It's not really a plot," Rushfeldt said.

"Being anti-Christianity just seems reasonable to them, to the artists and the public officials who fund them. If it was the torah, or A Muslim profitt, it would be a hate crime

"So when Hedy Fry, Elinor Caplan and Sheila Copps say things clearly biased and unfair about Christians, media people don't call them on it, because they just don't see it as bigotry."




Evangelical Christian journalist Michael Coren, host of a nightly talk show on southern Ontario's Crossroads (Christian) Television, agrees that Canadian culture is "becoming a less cozy place to be Christian." And "obviously there was hostility to Day's Christianity" in the Canadian elites.

But he believes that Christians have been blind-sided by this development, only because they've been far too comfortable in the past.

"Put it in perspective: so far, no one's knocking at your door and taking your children, at least not yet," he said. he is wrong they are taking the children, no spanking, and every christian is in a cult

"And frankly, I rather welcome the idea of a little persecution. A little discomfort may be good for us. If there's now a price to pay for being Christian, well, there should be. Being Christian is supposed to be shocking."

Coren holds Christians themselves somewhat to blame for their rough handling by the media.

"We have such an incredibly privileged life here, don't we? And then somebody makes fun of us on television, and we all get terribly glum and whine about how unfair it all is.

"So it's not a God-fearing or God-loving society. Well, whenever was it? Christianity is about hope and joy, and we're supposed to get out there and take the culture head on."


Part 3: The Canadian Family

Is God missing in Canada? Today, kids are taught to be slaves to their passions, and politics is less about building consensus and more about pitting people against people. Herald religion writer Joe Woodard takes an analytical look at the role of Christianity in today's socie the culture of meanness that leads to genocide


Family fears risks of godless society
By Joe Woodard

Calgary parents Rick and Rita Zak can't say whether the Christian church gave up its public moral authority, or had it snatched away. But they do believe its exile from Canadian public life has greatly magnified the moral and spiritual risks to their kids.

"Our kids are being exposed to things that horrify us," said Rita Zak, a stay-at-home mother of seven.

"They come home from school with so many strange ideas, and the stuff they get from magazines, videos and movies is poisonous. The bottom line is, now that the faith is no longer part of the social norm, we really have to work harder as parents."

Rick Zak, a teacher at the Alberta College of Art and Design, worries about the kids of families who haven't pulled together to resist the influences of the secular culture.

"It's such a complex society today. It's all hierarchies and institutions and administrations, and there's no public place where the little individual is the most important thing," Rick said.

"For the government, we're all just taxpayers and statistics. And when our companies have to fire 300 people, it's all just business.

"The family is the only place where the individual really counts, where you're yourself, where you don't have to perform or say anything.

"So what happens when people start to lose that place to retreat to? Do they start believing they're no more than social functions, efficient employees and consumers?" he asked.

And do their kids start raising themselves in packs and thinking of themselves as gang members?

Sociologists and policy experts generally agree the exile of the church from public life has seriously weakened the Canadian family. Once marriage was no longer a sacred institution, the family ceased to be a social duty. Once marriage was just a personal option, families became something people can opt into -- or out of.

"The church has been pushed to the side," said Robert Glossop, research director of the Vanier Institute of the Family in Ottawa.

"The secularization of modern society has meant that marriage and the family are no longer joined at the hip, as they once were. So we see more divorces, more common-law unions, and many more births out of wedlock.

"We've tried to privatize the family, and that worries me. A significant proportion of children are suffering traumatic family break-ups."

Regardless of these social changes, children continue to need a stable, two-parent family environment.

Criminologists say fatherlessness is the greatest single predictor of criminality, fatherless boys being twice as likely to end up in jail. Fatherless girls have a 164 per cent greater chance of becoming single mothers themselves. And over one-third of the children of divorce suffer clinical depression, difficulty in relating and lowered educational achievement.

Yet, despite 40 years of expanded government services, 23 per cent of Canadian kids are now raised in single-parent homes. Eight per cent of kids have parents living common-law, and 63 per cent of those will watch their parents break up. And by age 10, 14 per cent of the children of married parents will see them divorced.

Though there's general agreement that the exile of the church has led to the "atomization" of society into isolated individuals -- families optional -- the experts disagree about the place of the secular state in this problem. Some see it as a potential saviour, others as the major source of the problem.

The Vanier's Glossop believes the primary enemy of the family is the marketplace, and only the government can repair its damage.

"We've purchased our new freedom at the cost of fragile social relationships and lost civic virtues," he said.

"That's made families vulnerable to market forces. Primary wage-earners work 60-hour weeks, families put both parents into the workforce, and still there's a deterioration in their long-term financial security. So the market has encouraged a diminished sense of the public good."

Glossop said that, sociologically, human beings develop their moral character and public spirit by working in voluntary associations -- most notably in churches. And economic stresses have pulled people away from those sorts of community activities.

Still, Canadians (unlike Americans) have always expressed their social concerns in government programs, he insisted. So the rehabilitation of the family must come, if it comes, from Ottawa. He recommends, for example, reinstating the family allowance and child tax deduction, to provide parents much-needed "tangible recognition of the public investment they're making in their children."

Family advocate William Gairdner, author of The War Against the Family, has less trust in the state. Since half of Canada's GNP is now funnelled through the taxman, he believes the secular state already exercises as much control over the market as it needs to promote its own interests.

"The welfare state has been a kind of stealth totalitarianism," Gairdner said.

"For 200 years there's been a contest between the Christian religion, committed to faith and personal moral freedom, and the political religion, committed to making a heaven on earth through social control.

"Marxism and Nazism were only the most extreme examples of the political religion, but there's the same competition for people's allegiance today.

"The agents of the state are busily trying to replace the family and the voluntary associations of civil society with government services -- child care and schools and public jobs and elder care. And if they do that, they've won."

Gairdner argued that teachers, social workers and medical workers are representatives of the state. So schools promote sexual alternatives corrosive to family life; social agencies inhibit parents from disciplining their kids; and doctors are empowered to perform abortions on pregnant girls without informing their parents.

"It's a civil war of values," he said.

Carrie Simpson, director of the Citizens Research Institute in Langley, agrees. She thinks their government has eroded Canadians' confidence in their ability to be parents.

"The state didn't stay separate from the church; it took over the church," Simpson said.

"So for 40 years, Canadians have had the mother-government directing their lives and intruding into their families. The public health nurse goes into the public school to make sure the children have brushed their teeth. And the teacher quizzes her students on how their parents are treating them."

Simpson's CRI is currently representing Vancouverite Bev Schneider, whose nine-year-old severely disabled daughter was seized four years ago on suspicion of abuse. Schneider hasn't seen her daughter in two years.

"Everybody now admits that Bev didn't do it, that there was no abuse; but the social workers still won't give her daughter back," Simpson said.

"But now that they've held the child for four years, they now want to argue whether it's really in her interest to be returned to her own mother."

Government officials have no notion that children might be damaged by being seized, Simpson said. They believe that the state is a better guardian of children than their own parents. And why not? she asks. That way, they provides employment to social workers, psychologists, lawyers, judges and foster care workers,

For Calgarians Rick and Rita Zak, however, whether the state or the marketplace is the primary culprit in the erosion of family life is a moot point. When it comes to raising of their children, both are equally poisonous.

"The cultural message today from both the government and advertisers is that nobody is responsible for anything," said Rick Zak.

"Everybody deserves everything, and nobody needs to be anything."

The marketplace is a danger to kids because of the "modern notion of success it sells," he said.

"Success is portrayed as indulging yourself in extremes, providing yourself a smorgasbord of extremes" -- the mainstreaming of pornography being a prime example.

When the church still had a public presence, believers and non-believers alike understood that real success lay in having a noble character, Zak said.

"Today they're selling the trappings of success, rather than the reality."

Zak said that politicians have failed families mainly by breeding cynicism about the possibility of virtue.

"Everybody says the politicians are all the same. And that really lets politicians off the hook," he said.

"They can be real scum-buckets and still successful politicians because no-one holds them responsible, either. Everybody's compromised by their dirty little sins."

Rita Zak finds that her fellow Canadians suffer from a pathetic lack of confidence in their ability to raise their own children. And that comes out in at least two different ways.

The Zaks live in a small bungalow and drive a single vehicle, yet some people are resentful of their seven children. At any suggestion that Canadian society ought to be structured to nurture families, their reaction is, "you had them; you look after them."

"It makes you miffed, the injustice and blindness of people who reject children; they don't see that it's our kids who'll keep society running when they've grown old," Rita said.

"But it's a pathetic loss for them. They never discover how infinitely valuable each child is. Consumerism has sold them a shoddy bill of goods."

As the baby-boomers are aging, however, Rita increasingly meets people who are saddened by their having had few or no children.

"So many people now say that they would have liked more kids, but that they couldn't have handled it. They were afraid of the financial strains, or the time and attention each child needs, or the sacrifices," she said.

"But there's also a kind of fear there. People are almost always surprised when I say how confident I am in my kids. It's like they think that children are little time-bombs waiting to go off. I understand the reaction. If we'd thought we were raising our kids all alone -- if we'd been without God -- two or three would've been our max."

Perhaps the greatest, most objective proof of the failure of Canada's secular culture is its failure to reproduce itself.

To sustain themselves, populations need an average fertility of 2.1 children per couple (so many must have three or four). Yet according to the 1998 Auditor General's report, Canada's fertility runs only 1.65 and falling. There were 375,000 births that year -- 106,000 too few to keep the population stable.

After 2030, when the baby boomers begin their "big die-off," Canada's population will begin to shrink. By 2050, the over-65s will make up 30 per cent of Canada's population, and the median age will be 51. Then the population will shrink even faster.

Rick Zak, now hitting 50, thinks that loneliness and looming mortality may awaken some baby boomers to the "God-shaped" hole in their lives.

"They're older, their joints are creaking, the old body parts aren't functioning as well," he mused.

"People in their 50s and 60s will start to looking for more. I guess the question is whether they'll go for a smorgasbord of spiritual movements or look for something more solid. If they're really looking for truth, God'll help them find it."

Though she's sympathetic for the families who've been sucked into the secular culture, Rita Zak is very confident about the future of her own family and other families of faith.

"Sex ed in the schools awakened us to the fact that there are lots of flaws in the system, and we've sometimes had to home-school our kids," she said.

"But the challenges in society spur you on. You begin to meet the right people, and you find the right books. Your children see your struggle with the world, and they understand what you're trying to do. And God doesn't abandon us."

Part 4: The Young Barbarians

Thrill of violence has edged out religion
By Joe Woodard

On a sunny Monday morning in late November, in the stairwell of a Calgary high school, a 17-year-old student was stabbed to death with a knife to the throat.

Three hours later, at a junior high school just blocks away, a gang fight broke out. Police then had to start a "manhunt" for two 14-year-old youths.

Just three days earlier, a 14-year-old Edmonton boy died in hospital from a beating so bad it took police two days to identify him. Four youths were charged with his murder.

There is a shocking rise in deadly violence among youth. And it is occurring when surveys show there has been a dramatic decline in their adherence to religious faith and institutions.

Is there a connection?

There is, says Prof. Tom Langan, founder of the University of Toronto's Christianity and culture program.

Fifty years ago, most children still had intact families, vibrant religious lives and inspiring schools, Langan said. But "unsensational" religion has been edged out by sensationalist entertainment, obsessive consumerism drew both parents into long working hours, divorce rates began rising, and children began to grow up in packs.

Fifty years ago, kids still took their lead from the evening conversations of their parents and other adults, he says. Now they watch MTV or hang out at the 7-Eleven.

"When they've raised themselves in tribes, we shouldn't be surprised if they act tribal," he argues. "Tribal warriors through history have derived immense pleasure from the most grotesque cruelty. This behaviour is nothing new, and modern technology hasn't erased it from human nature."

There isn't a connection, argues University of Calgary philosophy professor John Baker.

He points out "the churches and the comfortable 45- to 50-year-olds have always worried about the youth." And since the late 19th century, he said, 15- to 29-year-olds have delighted in being "in the face" of conventional religion and morality.

"People were saying exactly the same thing about the young in Classical Greece and Rome," Baker said.

"In the late 19th century, people were saying that the family is falling apart and that the kids are abusing religion. But the kids always grow up."

American sociologists and police officials have been warning their constituencies about how kids are growing up in the U.S. They say a coming generation of "super-predators" -- a segment of today's children who are coming of age without consciences and devoid of any restraints on their actions, save loyalty to their tribes. It is not simply an American problem.

In late October, the annual meeting of the Canadian Catholic bishops was told that today's youth are far more likely to think violence is a thrill rather than a sin. Pollster Alain Giguere, president of the Montreal-based CROP poll, said his firm had asked a representative sample of Canadians nationwide to respond to the statement, "I love to feel violence in me."

Many in the over-35 cohort were actually insulted by the question, and most said they abhor violence, he explained. And in the 25-34 age group, there was only "a certain acceptance of violence." Less than 10 per cent of the older age groups agreed with the statement.

But among youths 15-24, trouble is brewing. Fully 28 per cent of young people said they love feeling violent. Over 19 per cent of them said they often want to kill someone, versus under five per cent of their elders.

These youth have an "extremely hedonistic profile, will tolerate no external constraint, and want only pleasure," he said. "Being a witness to violence is a high for them."

Though the causes of social trends are hard to prove, among the young, the love of violence has soared while religious adherence has plummeted.

University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby reveals that between 1957 and 1990, weekly church attendance of 18- to 29-year-olds dropped to 14 per cent from 36 per cent, and church membership fell to 17 per cent from 68 per cent.

Childhood is normally the time for introduction into a faith community. Yet Statistics Canada reports only 23 per cent of children under 12 attend church weekly, and only 19 per cent are accompanied by a parent. Today, 42 per cent of kids never attend a church.

In a later interview, Giguere took the analysis one step further.

"They're becoming tribal; they are feeling excluded from the broader society, and they are cultivating loyalties only within their peer groups," he said.

Giguere points to the intense conformity of youth in matters of dress, jewelry and symbols, as evidence of a growing peer-group tribalism -- a loyalty excluding non-members from kindness and consideration.

In contrast to their "intense peer group relationship," only 15 per cent of youth placed any importance on religion, family, moral principles or the broader society.

The pollster's conclusion: "I tremble to see what kind of society this will produce in 10 or 15 years, when they become responsible for the organizations and businesses of tomorrow."

However, Giguere's results don't mean Canada will soon become another Rwanda or Bosnia. For all that latent violence increasing among the young, only a small percentage of the adults of tomorrow will act on it.

For 25 years, criminologists have known that more than half of the crimes, two-thirds of the violent crimes, and most murders are committed by a seven-per-cent cohort of male chronic offenders. From Copenhagen to Denver, the difference between peaceful streets and war zones is the frequency and nastiness with which these Dirty Seven-Per-Centers ply their trade.

Yet, even if the coming generation remains 93-per-cent law-abiding, there's no cause for contentment with their moral character.

Last October, the Character Counts Coalition, a project of the California-based Josephson Institute of Ethics, released its "Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth." The results were not encouraging. Among them:

· Of all high school students, 71 per cent admitted they cheated on an exam in the past year, and 45 per cent did so often;

· Fully 78 per cent said they had lied to their teacher, and 27 per cent said they would lie to get a job;

· Nearly one-in-six had been drunk in school in the past year;

· And 40 per cent of boys and 30 per cent of girls had stolen something from a store in the previous 12 months.

"A free society, a free political order and a free market require a high level of personal integrity," said Josephson Institute director Michael Josephson.

"Imagine the kind of chaos you'll have when you can't trust your business partners, when you can't trust the police enforcing the laws, when you can't trust the enumerators counting the ballots in the last election."

Josephson warned that a collapse of public morality will mean a slide into the politics of a "banana republic," where contracts depend on kickbacks and public services must be lubricated by bribes. And he blamed parents and adults generally for abdicating their responsibility to provide a systematic moral education to children.

"It's too easy to blame the media, just like it's too easy to blame drugs and pornography. If parents, teachers, coaches and other adults did their jobs, the kids wouldn't be seeing the worst the media has to offer," he said.

"In the past, adults were pro-active. If I wasn't home, and my kid threw a wild party, my neighbour would come over and speak to him. If a kid acted up in public, any adult would step in, and the kid's parents expected that.

"That doesn't happen now, because we no longer have a moral consensus. These days, when a teacher catches a kid cheating, he doesn't expect the parents to come and say, 'thank you.' The big fear is that they'll come in, threatening to sue."

Calgary public school trustee Gordon Dirks agrees that growing youth violence and lawlessness is a result of the decline in public religion. People have begun to pull their kids from the public schools because of declining standards of behaviour. But there are things the schools can do, he insists.

"Teachers can have profound influences as role models -- positive or negative, but we hope positive. And school administrators can hold students accountable for their language and their general level of civility."

Third and most promising, schools can begin to take seriously virtues education, a curriculum focusing on exemplary or heroic individuals.

"Given the diversity in society, we're never going to see a return to the public schools of the past -- the Calgary Protestant Schools," Dirks said.

"But there can be a consensus on the need for virtues like courage, honesty, integrity, forgiveness. The values education of the 1970s was a disaster, but everybody can agree on the need for certain basic character traits."

Perhaps. But the U of T's Langan believes that kids have slid -- or been pushed -- so far into anarchy and nihilism that only "real evangelization in the love of Christ" will give them a solid enough handhold to pull themselves out.

Today's youth -- especially boys -- suffer from an impoverishment of their moral imaginations, he believes. Where they once learned to see the world with the chivalry of an explicitly Christian Sir Lancelot or the curiosity of an implicitly Christian Tom Swift, now they learn to see it through the eyes of Conan the Barbarian.

Former West Point psychologist Lt.-Col. David Grossman, author of the book Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill, said youth violence, like heart disease, has many causes, but one cause in particular now stands out.

"Heart disease has many causes: obesity, lack of exercise, genetics. But take those and add smoking, and suddenly you have an explosion of heart disease," Grossman said.

"Youth violence has many causes: family breakdown, poverty, drugs. But you take those, and you add violent media and especially video games, and you get an explosion of violence."

How explosive? Over the past few years, juvenile murders in Japan -- an almost gun-free but video-game rich country -- have risen by 30 per cent per year, he said. And from early 1999 to early 2000, they doubled.

"Parents don't realize how traumatic violent shows and video games are on the very young," said the psychologist. "Kids under six can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy, so violent shows and video games brutalize them, just like basic training brutalizes new army recruits. Video games train kids just like we train soldiers."

U of C political scientist Ted Morton said it was always the moral consensus of the churches that restrained the selfish impulses of greed, sex and violence, and held supposedly unhappy marriages together, "for the good of the kids."

But the social prominence once enjoyed by the churches has now been seized by the entertainment industry.

"What's happened to us has to be seen in terms of the corruption of the upper classes," said Morton.

In the past, it was always important for the wealthy -- especially the newly wealthy -- to cultivate at least the appearance of respectability, and that meant traditional Judeo-Christian morals and family life, he says.

Historically, actors and entertainers were always morally suspect elements in society. But sometime in the 1950s, the wealthy stopped taking their lead from clergymen and started mimicking entertainers, he argues.

"It became stylish to have bad manners and to celebrate their rejection of family life."

Eventually, media-addicted parents have come to believe that kids have a right to expose themselves to all the music, movie or video-game mayhem.

"By now, there's a huge amount of money in the sex and violence industry, billions of dollars, and the lives of entertainers are highly authoritative, especially for the young. There's a new moral consensus, but it's bad."

Part 5: The Awakening

Is God missing in Canada? Today, kids are taught to be slaves to their passions, and politics is less about building consensus and more about pitting people against people. Herald religion writer Joe Woodard takes an analytical look at the role of Christianity in today's society.

Signs of Christian revival evident in all parts of life
By Joe Woodard

On the surface, the situation does not look good for the Christian church in Canada.

According to a Statistics Canada report, monthly church attendance has dropped seven per cent in the last decade, to 34 per cent. Among youths 15 to 24, monthly attendance is down to 26 per cent. Across the board, weekly attenders are now less than 20 per cent of the population, less than a third of what they were two generations ago.

On top of this apathy in the general population, the Canadian church faces political antagonism, media cynicism and the widespread dissolution of its primary evangelizing agent, the family.

Yet, for those who are looking for signs of Revival or a Great Awakening of the Christian Church in Canada, there are small signs everywhere.

None of these visible signs of revival are dramatic. Though all of these movements are growing, none are particularly focused on growth. Neither are they particularly politically or socially ambitious.

Some seem chaotic, like the steady growth of the independent evangelical churches, which now draw 10 per cent of Canadians, up from eight per cent just 10 years ago.

Some seem completely off the wall, like the "Toronto Blessing," an independent charismatic movement marked by "holy laughter," growling, barking and swooning among its worshippers.

Some seem secretive and hidden, like the lay Catholic movements Regnum Christi and Opus Dei that focus on nurturing the spiritual lives of their members in their workplaces.

Some seem politically incorrect, like the Living Waters Program, offered in local churches, to help people overcome "sexual brokenness" like homosexuality, perversions, promiscuity and pornography addictions.

Some seem completely anachronistic, like the steadily growing Orthodox Church in America, complete with its icons, incense, robes and processions.

Yet, though none of these movements explicitly intends to overthrow the secularism, consumerism and militant immorality of Canadian society, they are all swimming against its powerful stream.

"History doesn't flow inexorably in a single direction," said John G. Stackhouse, professor of theology and culture at Vancouver's Regent College.

"Both Canadian Christians and their opponents may now believe that the church is on the run, never to be heard from again -- that's the myth of secularization. But any good historian knows that predictions are based on the current trends continuing, and the current trends never continue."

The trends change, he suggested, because many unknown people dedicate themselves to largely unnoticed projects. The only question is whether those projects have staying power and move in a single spiritual direction.

· The Alpha Program

This 15-session course in basic Christianity came to Canada from England just three years ago. Yet it has already spread to over 1,200 Canadian churches -- from Pentecostal to Catholic -- including 44 in Calgary. Roughly 100,000 previously unchurched Canadians will take the program this year.

"It's a chance for people to learn about basic, authentic Christianity," said Alpha Canada director Sally Start.

"We're grassroots, really just a course curriculum, and we mean to stay that way."

· Promise Keepers

Arriving in Canada from Colorado in 1995, it now numbers 900 participating churches. Yearly, its mega-conferences, regional rallies and seminars coach some 20,000-30,000 in how to be "Godly men" with "marriages of integrity."

Lately, said PK Canada president David Sweet, the organization has stressed events in smaller communities. Last year's rally in Grande Prairie drew 3,000 men from a community of 30,000, "something that can really have an impact" on a place that size.

"The whole small group and discipleship movement is finally taking hold in Canada," Sweet said.

"We are such a busy culture, but the idea is finally taking hold that we have to carve out a dedicated block of time in our lives for God."

· The Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa of Calcutta's sisters

Thrill of violence has edged out religion
By Joe Woodard

On a sunny Monday morning in late November, in the stairwell of a Calgary high school, a 17-year-old student was stabbed to death with a knife to the throat.

Three hours later, at a junior high school just blocks away, a gang fight broke out. Police then had to start a "manhunt" for two 14-year-old youths.

Just three days earlier, a 14-year-old Edmonton boy died in hospital from a beating so bad it took police two days to identify him. Four youths were charged with his murder.

There is a shocking rise in deadly violence among youth. And it is occurring when surveys show there has been a dramatic decline in their adherence to religious faith and institutions.

Is there a connection?

There is, says Prof. Tom Langan, founder of the University of Toronto's Christianity and culture program.

Fifty years ago, most children still had intact families, vibrant religious lives and inspiring schools, Langan said. But "unsensational" religion has been edged out by sensationalist entertainment, obsessive consumerism drew both parents into long working hours, divorce rates began rising, and children began to grow up in packs.

Fifty years ago, kids still took their lead from the evening conversations of their parents and other adults, he says. Now they watch MTV or hang out at the 7-Eleven.

"When they've raised themselves in tribes, we shouldn't be surprised if they act tribal," he argues. "Tribal warriors through history have derived immense pleasure from the most grotesque cruelty. This behaviour is nothing new, and modern technology hasn't erased it from human nature."

There isn't a connection, argues University of Calgary philosophy professor John Baker.

He points out "the churches and the comfortable 45- to 50-year-olds have always worried about the youth." And since the late 19th century, he said, 15- to 29-year-olds have delighted in being "in the face" of conventional religion and morality.

"People were saying exactly the same thing about the young in Classical Greece and Rome," Baker said.

"In the late 19th century, people were saying that the family is falling apart and that the kids are abusing religion. But the kids always grow up."

American sociologists and police officials have been warning their constituencies about how kids are growing up in the U.S. They say a coming generation of "super-predators" -- a segment of today's children who are coming of age without consciences and devoid of any restraints on their actions, save loyalty to their tribes. It is not simply an American problem.

In late October, the annual meeting of the Canadian Catholic bishops was told that today's youth are far more likely to think violence is a thrill rather than a sin. Pollster Alain Giguere, president of the Montreal-based CROP poll, said his firm had asked a representative sample of Canadians nationwide to respond to the statement, "I love to feel violence in me."

Many in the over-35 cohort were actually insulted by the question, and most said they abhor violence, he explained. And in the 25-34 age group, there was only "a certain acceptance of violence." Less than 10 per cent of the older age groups agreed with the statement.

But among youths 15-24, trouble is brewing. Fully 28 per cent of young people said they love feeling violent. Over 19 per cent of them said they often want to kill someone, versus under five per cent of their elders.

These youth have an "extremely hedonistic profile, will tolerate no external constraint, and want only pleasure," he said. "Being a witness to violence is a high for them."

Though the causes of social trends are hard to prove, among the young, the love of violence has soared while religious adherence has plummeted.

University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby reveals that between 1957 and 1990, weekly church attendance of 18- to 29-year-olds dropped to 14 per cent from 36 per cent, and church membership fell to 17 per cent from 68 per cent.

Childhood is normally the time for introduction into a faith community. Yet Statistics Canada reports only 23 per cent of children under 12 attend church weekly, and only 19 per cent are accompanied by a parent. Today, 42 per cent of kids never attend a church.

In a later interview, Giguere took the analysis one step further.

"They're becoming tribal; they are feeling excluded from the broader society, and they are cultivating loyalties only within their peer groups," he said.

Giguere points to the intense conformity of youth in matters of dress, jewelry and symbols, as evidence of a growing peer-group tribalism -- a loyalty excluding non-members from kindness and consideration.

In contrast to their "intense peer group relationship," only 15 per cent of youth placed any importance on religion, family, moral principles or the broader society.

The pollster's conclusion: "I tremble to see what kind of society this will produce in 10 or 15 years, when they become responsible for the organizations and businesses of tomorrow."

However, Giguere's results don't mean Canada will soon become another Rwanda or Bosnia. For all that latent violence increasing among the young, only a small percentage of the adults of tomorrow will act on it.

For 25 years, criminologists have known that more than half of the crimes, two-thirds of the violent crimes, and most murders are committed by a seven-per-cent cohort of male chronic offenders. From Copenhagen to Denver, the difference between peaceful streets and war zones is the frequency and nastiness with which these Dirty Seven-Per-Centers ply their trade.

Yet, even if the coming generation remains 93-per-cent law-abiding, there's no cause for contentment with their moral character.

Last October, the Character Counts Coalition, a project of the California-based Josephson Institute of Ethics, released its "Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth." The results were not encouraging. Among them:

· Of all high school students, 71 per cent admitted they cheated on an exam in the past year, and 45 per cent did so often;

· Fully 78 per cent said they had lied to their teacher, and 27 per cent said they would lie to get a job;

· Nearly one-in-six had been drunk in school in the past year;

· And 40 per cent of boys and 30 per cent of girls had stolen something from a store in the previous 12 months.

"A free society, a free political order and a free market require a high level of personal integrity," said Josephson Institute director Michael Josephson.

"Imagine the kind of chaos you'll have when you can't trust your business partners, when you can't trust the police enforcing the laws, when you can't trust the enumerators counting the ballots in the last election."

Josephson warned that a collapse of public morality will mean a slide into the politics of a "banana republic," where contracts depend on kickbacks and public services must be lubricated by bribes. And he blamed parents and adults generally for abdicating their responsibility to provide a systematic moral education to children.

"It's too easy to blame the media, just like it's too easy to blame drugs and pornography. If parents, teachers, coaches and other adults did their jobs, the kids wouldn't be seeing the worst the media has to offer," he said.

"In the past, adults were pro-active. If I wasn't home, and my kid threw a wild party, my neighbour would come over and speak to him. If a kid acted up in public, any adult would step in, and the kid's parents expected that.

"That doesn't happen now, because we no longer have a moral consensus. These days, when a teacher catches a kid cheating, he doesn't expect the parents to come and say, 'thank you.' The big fear is that they'll come in, threatening to sue."

Calgary public school trustee Gordon Dirks agrees that growing youth violence and lawlessness is a result of the decline in public religion. People have begun to pull their kids from the public schools because of declining standards of behaviour. But there are things the schools can do, he insists.

"Teachers can have profound influences as role models -- positive or negative, but we hope positive. And school administrators can hold students accountable for their language and their general level of civility."

Third and most promising, schools can begin to take seriously virtues education, a curriculum focusing on exemplary or heroic individuals.

"Given the diversity in society, we're never going to see a return to the public schools of the past -- the Calgary Protestant Schools," Dirks said.

"But there can be a consensus on the need for virtues like courage, honesty, integrity, forgiveness. The values education of the 1970s was a disaster, but everybody can agree on the need for certain basic character traits."

Perhaps. But the U of T's Langan believes that kids have slid -- or been pushed -- so far into anarchy and nihilism that only "real evangelization in the love of Christ" will give them a solid enough handhold to pull themselves out.

Today's youth -- especially boys -- suffer from an impoverishment of their moral imaginations, he believes. Where they once learned to see the world with the chivalry of an explicitly Christian Sir Lancelot or the curiosity of an implicitly Christian Tom Swift, now they learn to see it through the eyes of Conan the Barbarian.

Former West Point psychologist Lt.-Col. David Grossman, author of the book Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill, said youth violence, like heart disease, has many causes, but one cause in particular now stands out.

"Heart disease has many causes: obesity, lack of exercise, genetics. But take those and add smoking, and suddenly you have an explosion of heart disease," Grossman said.

"Youth violence has many causes: family breakdown, poverty, drugs. But you take those, and you add violent media and especially video games, and you get an explosion of violence."

How explosive? Over the past few years, juvenile murders in Japan -- an almost gun-free but video-game rich country -- have risen by 30 per cent per year, he said. And from early 1999 to early 2000, they doubled.

"Parents don't realize how traumatic violent shows and video games are on the very young," said the psychologist. "Kids under six can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy, so violent shows and video games brutalize them, just like basic training brutalizes new army recruits. Video games train kids just like we train soldiers."

U of C political scientist Ted Morton said it was always the moral consensus of the churches that restrained the selfish impulses of greed, sex and violence, and held supposedly unhappy marriages together, "for the good of the kids."

But the social prominence once enjoyed by the churches has now been seized by the entertainment industry.

"What's happened to us has to be seen in terms of the corruption of the upper classes," said Morton.

In the past, it was always important for the wealthy -- especially the newly wealthy -- to cultivate at least the appearance of respectability, and that meant traditional Judeo-Christian morals and family life, he says.

Historically, actors and entertainers were always morally suspect elements in society. But sometime in the 1950s, the wealthy stopped taking their lead from clergymen and started mimicking entertainers, he argues.

"It became stylish to have bad manners and to celebrate their rejection of family life."

Eventually, media-addicted parents have come to believe that kids have a right to expose themselves to all the music, movie or video-game mayhem.

"By now, there's a huge amount of money in the sex and violence industry, billions of dollars, and the lives of entertainers are highly authoritative, especially for the young. There's a new moral consensus, but it's bad."

Part 5: The Awakening

Is God missing in Canada? Today, kids are taught to be slaves to their passions, and politics is less about building consensus and more about pitting people against people. Herald religion writer Joe Woodard takes an analytical look at the role of Christianity in today's society.

Signs of Christian revival evident in all parts of life
By Joe Woodard

On the surface, the situation does not look good for the Christian church in Canada.

According to a Statistics Canada report, monthly church attendance has dropped seven per cent in the last decade, to 34 per cent. Among youths 15 to 24, monthly attendance is down to 26 per cent. Across the board, weekly attenders are now less than 20 per cent of the population, less than a third of what they were two generations ago.

On top of this apathy in the general population, the Canadian church faces political antagonism, media cynicism and the widespread dissolution of its primary evangelizing agent, the family.

Yet, for those who are looking for signs of Revival or a Great Awakening of the Christian Church in Canada, there are small signs everywhere.

None of these visible signs of revival are dramatic. Though all of these movements are growing, none are particularly focused on growth. Neither are they particularly politically or socially ambitious.

Some seem chaotic, like the steady growth of the independent evangelical churches, which now draw 10 per cent of Canadians, up from eight per cent just 10 years ago.

Some seem completely off the wall, like the "Toronto Blessing," an independent charismatic movement marked by "holy laughter," growling, barking and swooning among its worshippers.

Some seem secretive and hidden, like the lay Catholic movements Regnum Christi and Opus Dei that focus on nurturing the spiritual lives of their members in their workplaces.

Some seem politically incorrect, like the Living Waters Program, offered in local churches, to help people overcome "sexual brokenness" like homosexuality, perversions, promiscuity and pornography addictions.

Some seem completely anachronistic, like the steadily growing Orthodox Church in America, complete with its icons, incense, robes and processions.

Yet, though none of these movements explicitly intends to overthrow the secularism, consumerism and militant immorality of Canadian society, they are all swimming against its powerful stream.

"History doesn't flow inexorably in a single direction," said John G. Stackhouse, professor of theology and culture at Vancouver's Regent College.

"Both Canadian Christians and their opponents may now believe that the church is on the run, never to be heard from again -- that's the myth of secularization. But any good historian knows that predictions are based on the current trends continuing, and the current trends never continue."

The trends change, he suggested, because many unknown people dedicate themselves to largely unnoticed projects. The only question is whether those projects have staying power and move in a single spiritual direction.

· The Alpha Program

This 15-session course in basic Christianity came to Canada from England just three years ago. Yet it has already spread to over 1,200 Canadian churches -- from Pentecostal to Catholic -- including 44 in Calgary. Roughly 100,000 previously unchurched Canadians will take the program this year.

"It's a chance for people to learn about basic, authentic Christianity," said Alpha Canada director Sally Start.

"We're grassroots, really just a course curriculum, and we mean to stay that way."

· Promise Keepers

Arriving in Canada from Colorado in 1995, it now numbers 900 participating churches. Yearly, its mega-conferences, regional rallies and seminars coach some 20,000-30,000 in how to be "Godly men" with "marriages of integrity."

Lately, said PK Canada president David Sweet, the organization has stressed events in smaller communities. Last year's rally in Grande Prairie drew 3,000 men from a community of 30,000, "something that can really have an impact" on a place that size.

"The whole small group and discipleship movement is finally taking hold in Canada," Sweet said.

"We are such a busy culture, but the idea is finally taking hold that we have to carve out a dedicated block of time in our lives for God."

· The Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa of Calcutta's sisters

It does not matter what religon you are or are not, but only a fool would deny, this is where the government is taking us. We soon will all wake up, and say what we have no rights.

Anonymous said...

Accusation Resources

Books:
Amazon has a bunch of books on child abuse and false accusations. Buy several. The advice below is a tiny bit of what is in the books. Read this while you are waiting for your books to arrive. Amazon searches are hard. Keep circling around. At the end of each review is a list of other books that might be related.
The Child Abuse Industry (Paperback)
Guilty- Until Proven Innocent: Teachers and Accusations of Abuse (Paperback)
Assessing Child Maltreatment Reports: The Problem of False Allegations (Hardcover)
True and False Accusations of Child Sex Abuse
Expert Witnesses in Child Abuse Cases: What Can and Should Be Said in Court
Protecting Children From Child Protective Services
The Lost Children of Wilder: The Epic Struggle to Change Foster Care
Orphans of the Living : Stories of Americas..
• On Their Own: What Happens to Kids When They Age Out of the Foster Care System? by Jimmy Carter
• What's Wrong with Children's Rights by Martin Guggenheim
• Dark Secrets within Child Protective Services by Teresa Cunio
• The Shredding of Families by Lillian D. Dunsmore
• Custody of the State (Chambers of Justice) by Craig Parshall
Reforming child protective services : An article from: Child Welfare – e-book
Malpractice and liability in child protective services
Child Welfare League of America standards for child protective service
Guidebook for New York State Child Protective Service Staff: "medical issues in child protective services"


Download a 170 page book from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Guide for how judges should behave. Could be a goldmine for you.
Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practice In Child Abuse & Neglect Cases. http://www.ncjfcj.org/images/stories/dept/ppcd/pdf/resguide.pdf

Overview

In some states, social workers conduct careful, independent investigations. In other states, they seem absolutely convinced that every parent is guilty of child abuse and will do anything and everything legal or illegal to take children away from their parents. Find out which you are dealing with before you make assumptions.

Family court is completely different from criminal court. Social workers have the right to take your child and keep them until you can prove that you are a fit parent. You do NOT have the right to sue them if they are wrong. You will not be allowed to sue them if they lie and cheat to keep your child away from you. These suits are generally kicked out of court.

You are in a fight for your child’s life. There is a reasonable chance that your child will be harmed physically or emotionally by being in foster care. A study of kids who spent time in the foster system found that they have more post traumatic stress disorders than Gulf War Veterans. Few have happy marriages, few go to college and few hold good jobs. They are a mess.

Never confess in any way shape or form about anything to anyone. Even if somebody tells you that confessing will bring your child back sooner. This is a lie and any confession could mean the child will never be returned. Don’t even confess to little things like spanking. The only thing you should say is, “talk to my lawyer.”

Being a good girl and doing everything that the social workers require may backfire. They may tell you that this is the only way to win your child back, but many falsely accused parents say that you need to fight hard and fast and with every trick you can. They say being a good girl will ensure that you lose. If you are a shy person, get over it. Your child needs you. Do not let yourself be a victim of social workers who are bullies. If you learn your rights and stay one step ahead of them, they may pick on somebody easier. Being a sweet doormat may mean losing your children forever. Standing up for your child may bring more short term fights about supervised visitation, but you are more likely to win them back in the long run. If you continue to be shy and not assertive, you will lose your kids and will therapy forever dealing with the guilt you will experience because you didn’t do everything you can. If a truck was sitting on your child, you would move heaven and earth to get him loose. If social services is sitting on your child, you need to do the same thing.

Quote from a web site: This is the harsh reality - they are not looking for the truth. They do not even care about the truth. In their eyes, you are another case number which means they will get more government money and their goal is to prove that their jobs are needed regardless of the truth. This is sad to say, but CPS is a money-making industry when the incentives are to produce more revenue based on the total number of accusations and adoptions filed.

Avoid attempts to divide your family. One parent may be told to lie about the other and told this is the only way to get the child back. If you do this, neither parent may end up with the child.

If your spouse is involved in the accusations, you need your OWN attorney, not the family attorney. Consult with a domestic violence center for names of attorneys who have dealt with false accusations as part of custody and abuse cases.

Never discuss your situation in parenting or domestic violence classes that are arranged by social workers. The people running the class are paid by social services and will not hold your conversations in confidence. This could be a good place to find other parents in the same situation so your attorneys can share information. Do not give out your story or phone number to other class members. Give your name and your attorney’s name and number.

Technically, you have the right to give your children to another competent adult if you think this is the only option to keep your kids out of foster care. It can’t be done once the children are seized. If you choose to use “kin care,” instruct the family NOT to apply for foster care payments when they are offered. They deserve these payments but if they get them, it means your child becomes by definition a foster child and can moved to another foster family.

Attorneys should be experienced with family court and social services. Criminal and civil attorneys run screaming from the mess that is family court. Ask how often they have won cases in family court. How many times have they come up against social services? Were they successful???? Are they plugged into the network of other groups and attorneys to share information and strategies? If you can’t find listings for attorneys who do abuse cases, try divorce attorneys. If you already have a family attorney, they should spend several hours talking to another attorney who has handled these cases. They need to make a new friend who can act as a tour guide to the parallel universe of CPS and custody court. Often calls to other attorneys in the jurisdiction can help an attorney learn about the local nasty tricks.

If you are not arrested for a crime, you are not entitled to a free lawyer. If you do get a public defender, their experience is in criminal court, not family court. Hire a lawyer from day one and ask them to be very aggressive. If the social workers have to deal with your attorney for everything, they might choose to give up.

One way to find an attorney is to do a google search and try to find out who has made headlines in your area for going up against your local social services.

There are many attorney locators. Some charge. This seems to be one of the best:
http://www.martindale.com/xp/Martindale/Lawyer_Locator/home.xml

Learn more about your attorney or your attorney can use this site to learn more about similar cases and get advice:
http://lp.findlaw.com/ and http://lawcrawler.findlaw.com/

Get your child an attorney. An independent attorney called a Guardian Ad Leitem. But be sure they are committed to personally meeting you and your child. Some Guardians ad Leitem do not do this – they actually go into court and testify about what is best for the child without ever laying eyes on the child. This is stupid but legal.

Consider hiring an attorney from your capital city. Consider hiring two attorneys – one for you and on for the child’s other parent even if you hate each other you both want the child back from social services. Consider hiring a private investigator. Your attorney should use one.

You can get written affidavits of character from anybody and everybody to submit to the court. These are papers and can not be cross examined.

One of the first things you should do is to find a good writer who can help you write a clear, concise and logical summary of your situation and the larger picture of increasing false accusations. This person should be familiar with writing compelling business memos. No jargon. No sensationalism like the National Enquirer. No capital letters. No exclamation points. Zero grammatical mistakes. Always send a reputable news article about another family with a similar situation or send coverage of your story if there is any so the person can see you are not a conspiracy theorist. Sending out letters that make you look disorganized or emotional will backfire. You only have one chance to make a first impression. You can call a local journalism professor and ask them to find student who has clear writing style. This memo can be customized to be sent to different people. Each time, you need to specify what you want that reader to do. Make sure it is within their power. You can ask a Congressman to shake loose the medical records, urge an investigation or urge the social workers to conduct a fair and impartial review, but he or she is not likely to be able to make the whole issue disappear.


Get a reliable computer and internet access. If you can’t afford one, offer to babysit or dog sit for somebody who will let you use theirs. Gather information but be very cautious about sharing your story over the internet. Your social worker may find the information you posted.

Keep METICULOUS notes on every conversation and every interaction with everybody. Get the first and last name of everybody present, especially nurses who may change jobs frequently. In court, those with the best proof may win!!!!! Every few weeks, make copies of the new pages and send one set to a friend out of state and one set to the attorney. document, document, document EVERYTHING.

If you or your children or other family members have diaries, make full copies for your attorney.

Get a tape recorder and learn your state laws on taping conversations and phone calls. You may have the right to hide a camera in your house as long as the audio is turned off. You may have to use a separate audio tape. The laws regarding this are very strange. Learn your state laws on videotaping and beg or borrow a camcorder. Learn to document everything you do and how to record a tamper-proof date such as filming the front page of the newspaper or the first minute of the evening news. Film the condition of your house, your children at play, etc. Nothing will make an obnoxious social worker behave quicker than having a priest present or a tape recorder on the table – even if it doesn’t work. If you can’t make a tape, put a baby monitor in your pocket and send a friend out to sit in the car and listen to the conversation and take great notes.

Ask your attorney how you should react if social workers knock on your door in the middle of the night. Ask what you should do if they take your children out of school to interview them privately. Don’t be surprised, be prepared. Prepare your neighbors for middle of the night visits.

Prepare teachers for interrogations. Prepare your children to be approached at school or in public and do not let them be interviewed alone. Tell the teachers that you forbid them to allow an interview without your attorney present. Put it in writing and cc the school board. If you fear they might allow your child to be interviewed, you may choose to keep your children out of school for a few days and inform the principal of the reason. Be up front with the child’s school and caretakers unless you think they are involved in the accusations. Let them know about any family members who are causing trouble. Let them know that their records will be requested. This includes academic, health and counselors office notes and sign-in sheets. Ask them to review their records to be sure they are up to date and accurate.

Be sure older children really understand how serious this is. Older kids get very angry when the system is unfair and then start to behave badly. They need to know that their actions are being watched very closely and they need to behave. Social workers doing family visits should not be trusted anymore than a stranger with a gun sitting at your table.

Get FULL copies of all medical records, full tests in addition to reports about the tests, and nursing notes. You do have the right to get them regardless of what they tell you. Make a second copy and give it to a friend out of state. Copy your e-mail, phone bills and home videos and give to the friend as well. You may need these and occasionally they disappear after social services raids a house.

Learn about Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy even if you are not currently accused of it. It is an important concept to understand. If social workers suspects that you suffer from MSBP, they will turn into rabid pit-bulls.

You may want to meet with your elected officials, both state people and those who are serving in Washington. They all have offices in their districts. Tell them your story in person. Take another person with you and rehearse what you will say so you don’t get hysterical. Bring your written story that is carefully prepared. Ask them to help in very specific ways. Don’t be vague. At minimum, ask them to call the social workers and demand that the investigation be impartial, not a witch hunt. Some parents have found that talking to the Governor’s staff is helpful.


Make a list of all your friends and reach out to all of them. Somebody might know somebody helpful. You might be pleasantly surprised how much help churches provide in these cases, even very conservative churches. Give them all a copy of one good article about another falsely accused family so they can see you are not crazy. You do NOT want to find out after you lose that one of your friend’s mothers is a retired legal secretary who would have been happy to help you out. Do not leave any stone unturned.

Being secretive tends to make friends and neighbors think you have done something wrong that you are trying to hide. If there is a detail about the situation that you find very embarrassing, it might be the most important thing to share with your attorney and your fiends. Ask yourself how they will feel when they learn your secret from somebody who is on the other side of the fight. This is a good way to lose friends. Ask your attorney if you can start a web site or listserve for your friends where you document all the horrible things that are being done to you and your child.

Prepare a list of tasks that you need help with. Keep copies in your wallet and hand one to everybody who expresses sympathy. Even clerks at the grocery store, the person who cuts your hair, etc. It may have practical things like
Help me find a lawyer.
Help me pay for the photocopy of the medical record.
Keep a copy of the medical record at your house.
Bring your camcorder to my house during supervised visitation and record the social workers and me interacting with the children.
If you can’t bring a camcorder, bring a baby monitor and listen from the bedroom.
Buy me a copy of one of these three books on Amazon …
Help me find an independent attorney for my child.
Teach me how to use a computer or give me an old computer
Buy me a prepaid cell phone so my children and attorney can locate me at all times.
Show up in court to be a witness so that the judge will make fairer rulings.
Be prepared to come to the house in the middle of the night if you need a witness. Coach them so they don’t make the situation worse.
If you have seen my child sick, please write a letter to the court and send copies to me and my attorney and the social worker.
Babysit
Help find me a private counselor or psychologist to do an independent evaluation of me and my mental health. I don’t trust the ones that work for social services.
Help me find a publicist or public relations expert. (see below)

A publicist can help you write up your story, help you reframe accusations, help you approach the media, help you turn a media fiasco around and help find you friends in high places. Ideally, this will be somebody who works for a PR agency, but often people in journalism, communications and advertising also have the skills needed. This is the professional that businesses call in to give expert advice when one of their employees is caught doing something wrong and the whole business might suffer if it is handled wrong. They can also act as a spokesperson for you.

You may want to meet with your elected officials, both state people and those who are serving in Washington. They all have offices in their districts. Tell them your story in person. Take another person with you and rehearse what you will say so you don’t get hysterical. Ask them to help in very specific ways. Don’t be vague. At minimum, ask them to call the social workers and demand that the investigation be impartial, not a witch hunt. Some parents have found that talking to the Governor’s staff is helpful. See this site for more info: http://www.childprotectionreform.org/defense/yourself/vocal_advice.htm


If you think a doctor accused you to be malicious or to prevent you from filing malpractice suit, you can report them to the state medical board.

If you think that any medical doctor or medical institution benefited financially from your accusation, you can make a medical fraud complaint to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

If you belong to a home schooling group or a religious group that is considered to be a bit out of mainstream contact them. People from these two groups are more likely to be falsely accused. If your child is diagnosed with a medical problem, contact all of the support associations that deal with the disease. There may be several. Some may be willing to help, others may not. People whose children have real medical problems are more likely to be falsely accused.


List the things you have already tried so you don’t have to keep getting the same suggestions. When you are at a loss for new things to try, go back over the list of things you have tried and revisit some of the ones that didn’t work. It may be time to try them again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Call these people and visit these web sites. Read till you are blind and print every bit of it out and keep it organized in your notebooks. Web sites change and disappear. Print a second copy for your other binder.

www.profane-justice.org
Particularly the page: http://www.profane-justice.org/cpsguide.pdf

Loren Pankratz is a psychologist who has examined over 40 parents accused of Munchasen Syndrome by Proxy. He has testified for the defense in many MSBP cases. He is available as a consultant. He lives in Portland, OR

American Family Rights Association
Nev Moore, Co-Founder
Justice for Families, Inc.
P.O. Box 1560
Cotuit, MA 02635
http://www.familyrightsassociation.com
Has good contact list for some other groups and state folks.
State by state member list: http://members.familyrights.us/states.html
http://familyrightsassociation.com/info/help/cps_victims_beginners_manual.htm
Especially the CPS Victims Beginners Manual
There is a handbook for attorneys but it isn’t as good as the one on Profane-Justice. In fact, it tells court appointed attorneys how to punt, rather than put on a great defense.

CPS Watch
http://www.cpswatch.com/guide/
Not much here except some links to other sites.


False Allegations
Attorney Barbara C. Johnson
http://falseallegations.com
Home state- Massachusetts
National Class Action against CPS
Phone: 978-474-0833
Not a lot on this web site.

National Child Abuse Defense and Resource Center;
PO Box 638, Holland, OH 43528 (419) 865-0513.
Guilty Until Proven Innocent: A Manual for Surviving False Allegations of Child Abuse. Cost is $25
Their writing style is very inflammatory but info may be good.


www.falseabuse.com
What You should Do If You Are Falsely Accused
http://www.falseabuse.com/what.htm


Protect Our Families
http://www.protectourfamilies.com/
Focuses on medical mis-diagnosis of bone disorders

Child Abuse Defense Kit
http://members.tripod.com/cadkit/
Has attorney links

National Center for fathers and Children
http://www.ncfc.net/networkx.html

Victims of child Abuse Laws
http://www.vocalinfo.org/
Lots of press articles
VOCAL at (800) 745-8778

www.childabuselaw.info

www.accused.com

www.MassOutrage.com

http://www.ejfi.org/[/url]

National Child Abuse Defense & Resource Center
Kimberly Hart, Executive Director
P.O. Box 638
Holland, Ohio 43528
Phone: 419-865-0513
Fax: 419-865-0526
Email: NCADRC@bigfoot.com
http://reliableanswers.com/cps
Section of a web site run by a family. Other parts of the site are not relevant. They sell a book on the legal process and how to learn if your attorney is doing everything possible. Tells how to file your own motions, etc.

Family reclamation movement
Cheryl BryantBruce, MD, President/Founder
The Gregory Center For Exceptional Children and Families, Inc. "Where growth begins"
PO Box 825
Belmont, CA 94002-0825
650-451-8112 832-244-6100
http://www.gregorycenter.org
This former treatment center for disabled children has closed but the director was falsely accused and it getting very involved in the movement. She is involved in trying to get the system changed. Focus is currently on Georgia but the information they produce on reform is good.


Utah Families Association
Started by an accused mom who got a new law passed in Utah to make things fairer.


Internet research suggestions.
Remember that google gives you a full list of results but not necessarily the best list of results. Try other search engines.
Social services has many different names in different states. Try using other acronyms such as DYFS, DFS, DFPS, DFACS, SFC, SOSCF, CSD, CPS, DSS, AFDC, . Send other acronyms if you run into them.
Look up interesting combinations of words such as kidnapping and foster care quotas, child’s rights, parent’s rights, family court, juvenile court, dependency court, CPS reform, investigate child abuse, etc. etc. etc. Keep a running list of interesting terms.


Organization Families for Justice
Contact Info
Nev Moore, Founder
Justice for Families, Inc.
P.O. Box 1560
Cotuit, MA 02635
Web site - none
Articles about
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,44834,00.html
http://www.barnstablepatriot.com/03-09-00-news/dss.html
http://www.fightcps.com/2002_03_10_archive.html



Divorce site http://www.child-custody-info.com/

Info on adoption and foster care quotas

Dean Tong is a legal consultant who has testified in many cases and helps find you an attorney if you hire him.
http://www.abuse-excuse.com/home.html
Books:
LOVE & LOATHING: Protecting Your Mental Health and Legal Rights When Your Partner Has Borderline, Personality Disorder.
ASHES to ASHES... Families to Dust is a realistic view on child abuse in the world today. The site suggests anyone going through a divorce or separation should read this book.
Don't Blame ME, Daddy provides help in distinguishing between true and false allegations of child sexual abuse
IN FEAR OF FATHERS: video of a live presentation before Fathers & Families = advice to those unjustly accused of domestic violence, sexual child abuse and 'repressed' memories.
ELUSIVE INNOCENCE: “Accusations of child abuse are skyrocketing yet, as a 1998 study established, 71% were unfounded and false, created only for leverage in protracted divorce cases, custody battles, and money disputes. The consequences are drastic; severe prison sentences, destroyed reputations, lost jobs and worse -- lost children. Elusive Innocence is a roadmap for innocent victims to escape the nightmare.”

www.idealist.org
This is an amazing web site with state by state listings of many progressive non-profits working on abuse prevention, civil rights, etc. It is made to help people find volunteer opportunities.


If you think a doctor accused you to be malicious or to prevent you from filing malpractice suit, you can report them to the state medical board. It will probably not help get your kids back.

If you think that any medical doctor or medical institution benefited financially from your accusation, you can make a medical fraud complaint to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will probably not help get your kids back.


The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. has a web site with your medical legal rights. (JCAHO is pronounced JAYCO. Often just called the Joint Commission.) Do you have a complaint about the quality of care at a Joint Commission-accredited health care organization? The Joint Commission wants to know about it. Send us your complaint by mail, fax or e-mail. Summarize the issues in one to two pages and include the name, street address, city, and state of the health care organization.
www.jcaho.org

If your human rights or those of your child are violated, you can contact the United Nations about filing a lawsuit against the US or Canadian government.

Anonymous said...

What a way to live, but if you have had dealings with CAS you know the above is true.

Anonymous said...

Ombudsman Ontario: Oversight Proposal Fatally Flawed

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - June 19, 2006) -

ATTN: NEWS EDITOR

Proposed amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001, the City of Toronto Act, 2006, and the Ombudsman Act, introduced last week by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, give municipalities the option to opt out of oversight by the Ombudsman and are "fatally flawed," says Ontario's Ombudsman Andre Marin.

"While purporting to introduce a degree of accountability into municipal administration, this Bill will result in an unfair, inequitable and unsustainable patchwork of quasi-oversight measures throughout Ontario," remarked Mr. Marin.

"The citizens of Ontario deserve to have a strong, credible, and independent oversight body with full investigative powers, to ensure compliance with public meeting requirements as well as to deal with general complaints about municipal matters affecting them."

As Bill 130 is currently drafted, the Ombudsman's office would act solely as a default for investigation of complaints about a municipality's failure to hold public meetings. In lieu of the Ombudsman, municipalities are given the power to appoint an internal investigator to address such complaints, thereby ousting the Ombudsman's authority. Municipalities could even appoint one of their own employees to do the job, something that completely defies the basic tenets of effective oversight. These municipal investigations would also be carried out without the full range of investigative authority ordinarily exercised by the Ombudsman's office.

Bill 130 also proposes that municipalities would have the option to create their own ombudsman but there are no guarantees to ensure that they would be independent or impartial or have full investigative authority over municipal complaints. Mr. Marin indicated, "Independent oversight should not be treated as window-dressing or a special add-on option to be selected only by those who want to have it."

Only the City of Toronto under the City of Toronto Act, 2006 is actually required to appoint an ombudsman.

However, Mr. Marin warned, "All of these municipal offices would lack the independence and strong investigative authority that is characteristic of an Ombudsman. They would essentially be internal complaint departments run by municipalities and dressed up as ombudsmen."

Mr. Marin said the proposed amendments create an incentive for municipalities to avoid independent administrative oversight and leave the citizens of Ontario's municipalities without an effective independent complaint mechanism with full investigative powers. "I have raised my concerns with the Ministry and feel it is my responsibility, as Ombudsman for this province, to make it clear that these proposed amendments as they now stand fall far short of the mark in terms of the type of oversight and accountability which Ontario's citizens both expect and deserve."

This press release is available in French

The Ombudsman is an officer of the Legislature and is independent of both the political process and government administration. Generally an office of last resort, the Ombudsman investigates and resolves complaints about provincial governmental organizations and recommends corrective action. Services are free and confidential. Other languages can be arranged. For further information, call 416-586-3300, TTY 1-866-411-4211 or visit our website: www.ombudsman.on.ca

ONTARIO'S WATCHDOG - CHIEN DE GARDE DE L'ONTARIO

Anonymous said...

Rally Tues at 11:00 Queens park for over sight, hell why not just throw the government out

Anonymous said...

Publicize your Case!
June 19, 2006

This British article should be a lesson to anyone who thinks secrecy is the way to protect your child. Publicity is the weapon child protectors fear most, and the one most likely to save your children from their abuses.

expand

collapse

In the shadows of justice

The government has announced plans to open up the opaque family courts system. John Sweeney reports on the parents who are caught up in the web of secrecy.

John Sweeney
Monday June 19, 2006

The Guardian (UK)

In Tom Stoppard's play, Night and Day, Guthrie, the old hack, questions whether any story is worth dying for. And then from the bottom of his cynicism out it comes: "I've been around a lot of places. People do awful things to each other. But it's worse in places where everybody is kept in the dark. It really is. Information is light. Information, in itself, about anything, is light."

Ask "the social". Social services departments have the power to go to the family courts and take all your children away, for ever, without a jury, the press or the public knowing about it. Hostile adoptions take place behind closed doors, to protect the child.

But what if the social gets it wrong - and its experts assert abuse without properly investigating natural causes? Then a family may lose all of their children on the basis of false accusation, and they cannot go public and protest without fear of prosecution for contempt or other retribution. For example, if the social has taken Child A, B and C, and the family protest that was a mistake, the social could take Child D, too, again to protect the child. If the family hold their tongue, they might get to keep Child D ...

The pressure to remain silent in the face of losing your children for good is great, perhaps too great. Too many people complain to me that social services are too powerful, and families accused of abuse are too powerless, for every complaint to be without merit.

Reporting this kind of nightmare is not easy. Living it is unspeakably worse. Nicky and Mark Hardingham are an ordinary, extraordinary working-class couple. He drives a forklift, she tests the prawns in the same little factory in Norfolk, and appears meek and shy until you get to know and appreciate her gentle, mocking wit. They used to have three children, who they have to call in public Child A, B and C. They lost all three behind closed doors in a hostile adoption, but the couple protest their innocence. The family could not satisfactorily explain sinister, metaphyseal fractures in their son, Child B. To no avail, they pointed to a long history of brittle bones in their family - 100 fractures over four generations - and the fact that Child B was lactose intolerant. If he could not drink milk, and was not given a dietician - even though the family had asked for one - could that have affected his bone growth? No: it was abuse. (During the family court case, which I cannot report, Nicky's then lawyer applied for and got a job with Norfolk social services. She and it deny any potential conflict of interest.)

When Nicky became pregnant last year - an accident - she became terrified that Norfolk social services would take her fourth child away, too.

Last November I reported on their case for Radio 4's File On Four and also investigated that of Ian and Angela Gay, who had been convicted in the open, criminal court of poisoning their adopted child with salt. Last year, we could not identify Nicky and Mark because A, B and C had not been permanently adopted and we gave them fake names. The contrast between the two cases - one in the open and the other in the dark - was shocking.

We found fresh evidence of natural causes in both cases. The story of the Gays caused something of a national outcry. As well as the File On Four, I covered it for Newsnight, BBC TV news and the Daily Mirror, and it was followed up by the Mail, the Telegraph and others. The convictions against Ian and Angela Gay were quashed. Although they face a retrial, they are out of prison now. The story on Nicky and Mark died. They can never get A, B and C back.

I first came across the family court "black hole" in 2001 when, working for 5 Live, I started investigating the claims of people who said they were victims of Professor Sir Roy Meadow's law, that the more cot deaths you suffered, the more likely it was that you were a murderer. He gave evidence against cot death mothers Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Antony in the open criminal courts. We could report his evidence, find other experts who said it was "barbaric" "like stamp-collecting" and "just plain wrong" and report the belief of friends and families that the mothers had been wronged.

Meadow also gave evidence in the family courts. His victims could not appear on camera, they could not speak out under their own names. We could only report Meadow's evidence by risking contempt actions, which we did, time and again. Slowly, the net tightened. Blobbing out a mother's face, as she mourns the loss of a child taken from her at 25 minutes old, on the say-so, in part, of the evidence of Meadow, may have been in the interests of the child. It felt like censorship.

Back to the Hardinghams, who still protested their innocence. In April this year, Norfolk finally told them that A, B and C had been permanently adopted. By mistake or design - who knows - they had sent round a video, advertising the couple's children to adopting strangers, to Nicky and Mark. For BBC1's Real Story, broadcast last month, we filmed them watching that video and we filmed Nicky in her daughter's bedroom. We filmed, too, Nicky's grandmother, Joyce, talking about being falsely accused of child abuse in 1946 because she could not explain a mystery fracture in her daughter, Nicky's mother. And then their whole family standing by the couple.

Our film could go out because Norfolk had no children to protect: A, B and C had gone for ever and the one in Nicky's womb was not yet born and legally did not exist. Two and a half million people watched Nicky and Mark tell their side of the story.

After the show went out, the family met Norfolk and they say that a chance remark by a council officer implied that Norfolk planned to take the fourth child - an allegation Norfolk denies. The couple went to Ireland to try to keep the fourth.

When the baby was born, Norfolk arrived in Ireland the very next day. Nicky and Mark were confronted with a cruel choice: stay in Ireland, and face the Irish authorities, or go back to England, to the people who had already taken the first three children, where their parenting skills would be assessed. They chose England and drove to Dublin airport. However, at the check-in desk they were told that the new baby was too young to fly - and so the next night we were able to broadcast our second Real Story on the case.

Lisa Christensen, head of Norfolk Children's Services, has repeatedly reproached the couple for going public because it was "inappropriate".

Professor Carolyn Hamilton of the Children's Legal Centre told Real Story: "We have real concerns about more transparency and more access to the family courts because obviously children need to be protected, and so do parents from very intrusive press reporting or from gossiping about their case in the locality where they live. I don't see why having the public or the press in the courts would make it any fairer or less fair."

But others disagree. As a result of going public, 100 people supported Nicky and Mark by attending a local meeting, a thousand have signed a petition declaring their innocence and 3.7 million people watched the second Real Story - a quarter of everyone watching the telly at the time. Fresh experts have come forward, including a bone surgeon and a professor of medicine, gravely unhappy with the original medical opinion against the couple. One member of the public came forward showing that his family had gone through a second genetic test, for the LRP5 brittle bone mutation, which Nicky and Mark did not know existed. Going public to protest against claimed injustice may be inappropriate. It is certainly inconvenient. But it does help.

Information is light

After the first Real Story went out, Norfolk changed tack. Christensen wrote to Harriet Harman, the minister of justice, saying: "We would actually welcome more information being made public in this case ... allegations can be made against public bodies, but because of the confidentiality of proceedings in family courts, the full facts cannot be revealed."

The moment the couple arrived back in England, Norfolk went to court, to get an injunction requiring further reporting restrictions in the case. The injunction stated: "If you disobey this order you may be found guilty of contempt of court and may be sent to prison or be fined or have your assets seized." It is not even clear whether I can ask Nicky or Mark "how are things going?"

A website in support of the couple is in the line of fire from the council, and local reporters are now anxious about covering what happens next. For example, if Norfolk does take the fourth baby from the couple, can we report that? Or would that be against the interests of the child? 3.7 million people might like to know.

Perhaps Norfolk and other social services might care to reflect on what the constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman said on our Real Story when she set out plans for allowing the press in to the family courts: "For justice to be done, it must be seen to be done."

I asked if she was going to change the law, and she replied: "yes".

Source:
society.guardian.co.uk/ children/ story/ 0,,1800936,00.html

Anonymous said...

I agree the government needs to go. The problem lies in Queens Park. Queens Park has allowed this to go on. Everyone knows what is happening in Ontario.... Not a good place to be. Air full of mercury, lead and chromium, water that one cannot drink, and civil servants who act like fascists.

Anonymous said...

Former foster dad's arrest a relief to teen


By CLAUDIA ROWE
The Seattle Post Intelligencer
Jun. 10
For years, Ruth Tamas tried to sound the alarm, telling state social workers that her foster father was physically abusing her and sexually assaulting her older sister. They never believed her.
Fabregas


On Wednesday, however, Redmond police -- acting on a tip from the older girl -- arrested Enrique Fabregas, 52, at Overlake Christian Church, where he sings in the choir. In his home they found piles of child pornography and explicit videotapes, most of which depicted the children in his care, officers said.

He is now being held in King County Jail on $1 million bail on suspicion of child rape, child molestation and possession of child pornography. His lawyer says he denies the allegations.


Ruth Tamas, 18, speaks to reporters after the court hearing for her ex-foster father Enrique Fabregas. She said he had assaulted her and her sister. Her mother, Diane Johnson, left, wipes away tears. Scott Eklund / Seattle Post-Intelligencer

For Tamas, 18, the arrest brought relief, along with disgust for state authorities who had ignored her complaints.

"All of them said I was lying," said the college-freshman-to-be, as she stood Friday outside a courtroom at the King County Jail where a judge ordered Fabregas held. "He belongs in jail until he rots. He ruined so many peoples' lives."

Child-welfare officials acknowledged receiving eight sexual abuse complaints against Fabregas between 2002, when the Tamas sisters were placed with him, and 2004, when they were removed. But none of the claims was sustained, mainly because the sisters repeatedly recanted, a state spokeswoman said.

Still, a "red flag" had gone up, and in 2004 investigators asked Fabregas, a waiter at several Eastside Italian restaurants, to undergo a sexual-deviancy evaluation. When he refused, they revoked his license and sent the sisters to new foster homes.

But a younger girl remained. Fabregas had adopted her as a baby after meeting her mother in drug treatment, and because she was not a ward of the state, nor the subject of any substantiated abuse allegations, officials had no grounds to take action, said Kathy Spears, spokeswoman at the Department of Social and Health Services. That child, now 12, has since told police about two incidents of sexual assault, according to court documents.

"Unless we have enough information to take to the court," Spears said, "it's really difficult for us to remove a biological or adopted child."

Generally, a drug-related criminal history such as Fabregas' would disqualify him as an adoptive or foster parent, but in 1998 Court Commissioner Jim Doerty ruled that he had completed enough treatment to earn a "certificate of rehabilitation."

Though she'd left Fabregas' home by 2004, Ruth Tamas, then 16, did not give up. She told adults that she'd seen a videotape of Fabregas having sex with her older sister, Estera.

The Seattle P-I normally does not name victims of sexual assault, but Estera has given permission.

Fabregas -- romantically involved with the girls' mother -- began dressing Estera, then 12, in lingerie and photographing her in sexually suggestive posses. Within a few years the fondling had progressed to intercourse, according to court documents.

"I am so relieved," Estera Tamas, now 19, said in an interview. "I feel like I'm finally getting justice for what was done to me."

Fabregas denies all the allegations, according to his lawyer, Douglas Holt.

"People should keep an open mind," Holt said. "There's another side to the story."

Apparently, many have known a very different Enrique Fabregas. He attended Overlake Christian Church and was the subject of about 20 letters of endorsement from teachers and other parents who praised him to child-welfare workers. Church officials said he'd had no involvement with youth programs.

"What we're concerned about is that he has been out in the community -- kind of like this dad that everyone likes," said Redmond police spokeswoman Stacey Holland. "So we're worried about neighborhoods he's been in."


P-I reporter Claudia Rowe can be reached at 206-448-8320 or claudiarowe@seattlepi.com.

Anonymous said...

Legislative report harshly criticizes DSS handling of child
by brooke donald / associated press writer

> email this to a friend
JUN 14, 2006 5:50 PM EDT

BOSTON (AP) -- The Department of Social Services was sharply criticized Wednesday by a legislative committee on its care of a young Westfield girl, who was at the center of a life- support battle earlier this year after police said she was severely beaten by her adoptive mother and stepfather.

Members of the House Post Audit and Oversight Committee convened for less than 10 minutes to release a portion of the report on Haleigh Poutre, which said a lack of oversight by DSS personnel may have "unduly placed the child in harm's way."

Committee members then retreated behind closed doors at the request of DSS Commissioner Harry Spence, who cited privacy concerns. Lawmakers released 65 pages but at least 100 more were not released due to privacy issues.

The report said Haleigh, now 12, was a victim of "systemic" failings in the state's foster care system, and faulted the agency for not fully understanding its role and responsibilities as Haleigh's court appointed legal custodian. This is the third Beacon Hill review of the case.

"This case sounds another warning bell for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," the report said.

Spence acknowledged the criticisms, but said the review also vindicates the agency.

"I think this is a very complex report that actually does vindicate some of the work in some places and in other places says, you know, there's problematic work here you need to look at more carefully. And I think both things are true," he said.

The agency, in a response included in the report, criticized the panel for devoting a number of pages to shortcomings, while listing less than a dozen recommendations on a single page.

Haleigh came into DSS care in July 1998, after allegations that she was sexually abused. She lived with her aunt in foster care, then was adopted by her in 2001. She ended up back in state custody last fall after police said her adoptive mother and stepfather beat her nearly to death, and were arrested.

In January, DSS won approval from the state's highest court to remove Haleigh's feeding tube after the agency said doctors had declared the then 11-year-old in a vegetative state. But the agency was soon admonished for acting too quickly to try ending Haleigh's life support when the girl had improved. Haleigh is now in a rehabilitation center, and DSS officials would not comment Wednesday on her condition.

The report doesn't address in detail the end-of-life debate, but suggests in its 10 recommendations that decisions about withdrawing life support from children in DSS custody should be public and codified.

The report is divided into two parts: before Haleigh was adopted and after.

The panel found that between July 1998 and January 1999, a lack of oversight and integrated case management by DSS personnel may have put Haleigh in danger. The panel also says that for nearly 10 months, DSS did not get Haleigh required dental care.

The panel also took issue with the agency's claims that Haleigh was hurting herself rather than being abused. The report said the committee was "unable to find any formal reference to and/or firsthand corroboration of self-injurious behavior by the child."

DSS has acknowledged it missed signs of abuse over the years.

But the report also faulted Haleigh's adoptive mother, Holli Strickland. It said she made inconsistent statements to DSS, doctors, school officials and care providers that work with the state. Strickland, who was charged with assault, died alongside her grandmother in a murder-suicide shortly after Haleigh was hospitalized. Haleigh's stepfather, Jason Strickland, still is facing assault charges.

The panel also criticized the providers for "selective reporting" of neglect to DSS and failing to question Holli Strickland's level of supervision over Haleigh.

School officials, medical personnel and others also failed to report abuse and neglect, the report said.

"It is unclear if such dismissal and failures are due to poor judgment calls, disregard for the legal responsibilities of mandated reporters; and/or some other failure," the panel said.

Susan Molina, executive director of the Yellow Ribbon Kids Club, an advocacy group for foster children, said it's wrong to place blame on others.

"I think it's DSS making excuses on their failures on this case," she said. "There were many red flags this department should've seen."

In March, Gov. Mitt Romney released findings and recommendations of a three-member panel he appointed to study the case. A few weeks later, a legislative committee on foster care also unveiled ideas to reform the foster care system.

Romney said Haleigh's case demonstrated that "errors in human judgment occur," but said no action would be taken against any DSS worker.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Anonymous said...

How did the rally go? How many people showed up? Was the media there to cover it?

Anonymous said...

GOV'T URGED TO MONITOR CAS
The Toronto Sun
Wed 21 Jun 2006
Page: 5
Section: News
Byline: BY VIVIAN SONG, TORONTO SUN
Rev. Dorian Baxter -- better known as Elvis Priestley -- made a surprising and candid confession yesterday at a rally that demanded the government overhaul the children's aid societies.

The Newmarket pastor and Elvis impersonator said the Durham CAS took his two girls away from him based on allegations of sexual abuse that were later proven in court to be false. The allegations were made by his ex-wife and her boyfriend, a convicted rapist.

"I was so depressed I contemplated suicide," Baxter said yesterday at Queen's Park, where advocates called on the province to support a private member's bill that would give the ombudsman the power to investigate organizations.

"I couldn't even get the CAS to listen to me as a well-respected clergyman in Ontario," Baxter said.

Baxter sued the CAS but only got $70,000 after spending $387,000 in legal fees.

MOMS TOLD NOT TO SPEAK

"I purposely wore black today as a sign of mourning for those who've been pushed into suicide ... because of children's aid," said Baxter.

Moms April and Kalena also said the system ripped their children away from them amid allegations of abuse, then their respective children's aid societies warned them to keep silent.

"In particular, neither of you can speak at the June 20, 2006 rally about the situations relating to your children, or speak about your 'story' and the children," reads a letter from the Brant CAS, addressed to Kalena.

April said she received an anonymous phone call warning her not to speak about how her five children were taken based on allegations she said were never investigated.

"People working for CAS, the majority of them, are good people, but they're not held accountable," Baxter said.


© 2006 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.

Illustration:
• photo of DORIAN BAXTER
• False charges

Edition: Final
Length: 283 words

Anonymous said...

Most child deaths in B.C. could be prevented, chief coroner says
CP Wire
Tue 20 Jun 2006
Section: Western regional general news
Byline: BY TERRI THEODORE
BURNABY, B.C. (CP) _ More than one-third of children who die in motor vehicle accidents in British Columbia are not wearing restraints, says a report that laments the fact more children die from preventable accidents than all other causes of death.

``Inexperience, inattention, excessive speed, and the failure to use restraint systems are key contributors of children's deaths in these crashes,'' said B.C. Chief Coroner Terry Smith.

The report released Tuesday looked at 819 child deaths from 2002 to 2005 to ensure they all had a secondary review.

It's part of the cleanup initiated by the provincial government after it admitted last fall that hundreds of case files had ended up in a Victoria warehouse without being fully reviewed.

Another review is underway to examine 955 child deaths that were not properly looked at from the late 1990s through to when the Liberal government eliminated the Children's Commission in 2002.

Those deaths were the focus of a scathing report by former judge Ted Hughes who found government budget cuts and constant policy and leadership upheavals in the Children and Family Development Ministry stretched B.C.'s child protection system to the breaking point.

B.C.'s Solicitor General John Les said the coroner's service report signals the strong commitment to conduct thorough reviews of child deaths in British Columbia.

``This report is a part of a process that was completely endorsed by Ted Hughes and others, and I think it represents some good work, albeit somewhat late,'' he said. ``Hopefully, it will contribute to the safety of children in British Columbia.''

But Adrian Dix, the NDP's critic on the children's file, said that for four years, the coroner's office did not conduct the necessary secondary reviews of children's deaths, missing an opportunity to make recommendations that could have saved lives.

``I'm not blaming the coroner,'' said Dix.

``This is the premier that botched this operation and he botched an operation that is fundamental, something that he had talked about for years and he didn't care enough to do it properly. The consequences are a six-year gap in child death reviews.''

Les said the government admitted its problems with child death reviews, while the Opposition is still trying to fight past battles.

``The six-year quotation is obviously a huge stretch,'' he said. ``The report, and I have reviewed it, is a very thorough report and it's a good indication of a lot more good work like this to come.''

Tuesday's report also noted an alarming trend involving the deaths of aboriginal children.

Of the deaths reviewed, 21 per cent were native children, even though they comprise less than 10 per cent of the population of the province.

The report also pointed out that of the 819 deaths reviewed, 23 per cent are children who are in the care of or are receiving services from the Children's Ministry.

While Smith didn't know why more children were dying in care, he said those children were likely at higher risk for a number of reasons, ``including things like drug addiction, and other issues.''

``While it's concerning, I'm not sure that it's terribly surprising that we would find that at-risk population dying in those circumstances,'' he said.

The coroner's service data indicated that of a total of 11 deaths due to unintentional poisoning or drug intoxication, eight of them were in the care of the ministry.

The report said:

_After vehicle accidents, drowning was the second leading cause of accidental death.

_Male children were twice as likely to die as females, except when death was natural.

_The average age at time of death was 10 except for aboriginal children, where it was 8.6.

The coroner's service said that over the last 10 years, 225 sudden and unexpected child deaths were reported to the service each year.

Hughes had criticized Premier Gordon Campbell for saying budget cuts were not part of the problem with child protection. Instead, Campbell blamed the transition process aimed at bringing child death reviews under the purview of the coroner.

The Liberals cut the independent children's commissioner position in 2002, citing a review that found too much duplication between the office, the B.C. Coroner's Service, the child and youth advocate and the ombudsman.

But the violent death of aboriginal toddler Sherry Charlie caused a political storm and prompted the series of reviews currently underway.

Sherry was 19 months old when she was beaten to death by her uncle in September 2002 in Port Alberni.

She had been placed in her uncle's home by an aboriginal child welfare agency working with the B.C. government.

Her uncle, Ryan Dexter George, 32, had a criminal record for violence and was on probation for spousal assault when Sherry died.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2004 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The B.C. Liberal government came into office in 2001 with a mission of getting the province out of the red. Every ministry was examined and most had their budgets cut by an average of 25 per cent.

Children got caught in the crossfire, said Hughes.

Copyright © 2006 The Canadian Press

Anonymous said...

Three petitions presented in the Ontario Legislative Assembly on the child protection issue

No.1

CHILD PROTECTION

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): This petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (OACAS) predicted that by March 31, 2005, 53 children's aid societies throughout the province of Ontario will have served approximately 31,000 children and their families who are not protected under the jurisdiction of Ontario's Ombudsman; and

"Whereas clients of children's aid societies often feel intimidated from completing complaints procedures out of fear of being labelled by child protection professionals as `uncooperative' or `mentally unstable,' putting access to their families at risk; and

"Whereas a report titled Voices from Within: Youth Speak Out, written by the Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy, states that `complaint processes in place through legislated requirements appear to have a built-in bias in favour of the caregiver' and where the report goes on to state that `often, each step up the complaints ladder seems to simply legitimize the decision made by the person previously reviewing the complaint. There is a lack of independence and impartiality in reviewing complaints. Using the advocate to facilitate a more unbiased review is often discouraged by staff'; and

"Whereas, on August 27, 1992, the standing committee on the Ombudsman heard from the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies that, in their opinion, the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman should not include their own member children's aid societies; and

"Whereas on November 4, 1992, the standing committee on the Ombudsman heard from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which at the time had a membership of 105,000, which supported the inclusion of children's aid societies within the Ombudsman's jurisdiction to help expose compromising gaps within child welfare services; and

"Whereas in 1988 and 1992, when reviews of the Ombudsman's jurisdiction over children's aid societies were previously conducted, no non-professional members of the public presented their opinion on this issue compared to today, where the general public have much greater access to notices of committee hearings through the increased use of Internet and e-mail, further enabling them to participate in such hearings;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

"That the government of Ontario enact legislation giving the Ontario Ombudsman's office jurisdiction over all of Ontario's children's aid societies who are licensed under the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services to provide child protection services in order to ensure that the most vulnerable citizens of Ontario are better protected through an external, non-biased complaint review process."

I send it to the table via Hartford, the page.

********************************************************************************************************************

No.2

CHILD PROTECTION

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): I am pleased to present a petition from numerous Ontarians concerned about the lack of independent oversight of CAS decisions. The petition reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

"Whereas Ontario is one of the few provinces that does not have independent oversight of child welfare administration; and

"Whereas eight provinces now have independent oversight of child welfare issues, including child protection; and

"Whereas all provincial Ombudsmen first identified child protection as a priority issue in 1986 and still Ontario does not allow the Ombudsman to investigate people's complaints about children's aid societies' decisions; and

"Whereas people wronged by CAS decisions concerning placement, access, custody or care are not allowed to appeal those decisions to the Ontario Ombudsman's office;

"Therefore, be it resolved that we support the Ombudsman having the power to probe decisions and investigate complaints concerning the province's children's aid societies (CAS)."

I agree with this petition. I have affixed my signature to it and I'm sending it to the table by way of Hartford

***************************************************************************************************************************************

No.3

CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): I'm pleased to present a petition from over 3,000 Ontarians concerned about the lack of independent oversight within the province's child protection system. The petition reads as follows:

"Whereas the Child and Family Services Act of 1999 has been misused to apprehend large numbers of Canadian children; it is financially onerous to the people of Ontario;

"Whereas the current legislation gives CPS workers more power than any policeman, physician or judge, the rights of Canadian children are routinely trampled in the name of `child protection';

"Whereas the funding of this agency is piecework based, it is financially rewarded for each file opened and each child apprehended;

"We, the unsigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to open up the process to public scrutiny to ensure a level playing field, and ensure a proper judicial review with proper representations."

I'm sending it to the table by way of Charlotte.

Anonymous said...

Here he comes:

If past reports are any indication, the McGuinty government will be a nervous when Ontario's watchdog delivers his
Broadcast News
Thu 22 Jun 2006
Section: Ontario-Quebec regional news
TORONTO -- If past reports are any indication, the McGuinty government will be a nervous when Ontario's watchdog delivers his annual report today.
Since taking over the position in April, 2005, ombudsman Andre Marin's reports have been scathing of the government.
As recently as Monday, Marin blasted proposed changes to the Municipal and City of Toronto Act and the Ombudsman Act.
Calling the proposed changes fatally flawed, Marin says the legislation allows municipalities to opt out of oversight by the ombudsman.
He has also suggested the corporation that deals with tax assessments makes thousands of incorrect evaluations each year.
He has also demanded the province pay (m) millions of dollars to disabled people who were denied support payments because of government delays.

Anonymous said...

Ontario's ombudsman has released its first annual report at Queen's Park. In it, there is a call for more power to expand the mandate of the ombudsman to investigate complaints. Marin said he needs to be able to investigate complaints beyond those involving provincial government bodies, such as hospitals, schools, municipalities, long term care facilities and children's aid societies.

Anonymous said...

Ontario Ombudsman gives McGuinty failing grades
June 22, 2006 - 4:15 pm
By: Erin Henderson

In his first report, the province's ombudsman gives the McGuinty government failing marks.

Andre Marin says of all the complaints he's received, 4,000 of them had to do with municipal property tax assessment.

The ombudsman gives the provincial government kudos for its cooperation with his office, but Andre Marin also complains the province has limited his powers to oversee many government-funded agencies like hospitals, children's aid societies and schools.

Marin says the tragic death of Jeffrey Baldwin is just one of many reasons why the ombudsman needs to have increased powers.

He says the government is lukewarm to the idea.

Anonymous said...

HOME | NEWS | ACCESS YOUR GOVERNMENT | PUBLICATIONS | FORMS | FAQ | CONTACT US

Location: Government of Ontario Home > INFO-GO > Telephone Directory


Read, Andrea
Phone: 416-325-4300 Fax: 416-325-0613
Address:
Andrea Read
Program Supervisor - ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
3rd Flr
477 Mount Pleasant Rd
Toronto, ON M7A 1G1

Organization Hierarchy:
COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT DIVISION
REGIONAL OFFICES
TORONTO REGION
ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES [Services & Offices Directory]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| central site | feedback | search | site map | français |
| telephone directory | services and offices directory | INFO-GO search hints |



This information is provided as a public service. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information is as current and accurate as possible, errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. Readers should where possible verify the information before acting on it.

Copyright information: © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2005

Anonymous said...

Head of children metal health Toronto calls CAS immoral, read feed back Ombudsmans report,

Dr Cavoukian, of IPC thinks his oversight is essential.

One talk show TV host, comments are truth, the Minister thumbs her nose at it all.

Anonymous said...

The IPC blocked a bill to allow adopted adults access to their families and orchestrated a hate campaign against them with Bill 183. Remember the people searching have all too often been the victims of the CAS. The IPC and Andre Marin ARE DAY AND NIGHT. One has integrity, the other doesn't.

The IPC ONLY WANTS TO MAKE THE FORMER VICTIMS OF THE CAS MORE VICTIMIZED and does not care period about them what so ever. Many want her kicked out of office.

Mr. Marin on the other hand is a solid person. Comparing the two of them is almost a joke really. Also the IPC was using a former CCAS social worker to block the bill for adopted adults and people who were severed from each other from the CAS agencies.

If one is going to blindly listen to a CCAS supervisor, block a bill giving rights to those who don't have them, and use false, misleading and hateful information along the way then who cares what they have to say - really the IPC is most CERTAINLY NOT in the corner of anyone who was involved with the CAS.

Would love to see Andre Marin have oversight and the IPC kicked to the curb.

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!

THIS ANDRE IS A GIANT; ONTARIO'S OMBUDSMAN HAS THE SPIRIT AND COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE
The Toronto Sun
Fri 23 Jun 2006
Page: 23
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Byline: BY CHRISTINA BLIZZARD, TORONTO SUN
Column: Queen's Park
The province's Ombudsman came out with guns blazing -- again -- yesterday.

Andre Marin has been in the job a little over a year, yet in that short time, he's earned a reputation as a tough-talking, tireless watchdog for the downtrodden. And he has moved bureaucratic mountains.

As he pointed out yesterday, one of his reports this year was instrumental in persuading the government to increase the number of diseases for which newborn babies are routinely screened in hospitals.

"Not only was the technology available, the manufacturer of the leading technology hails from Toronto and was busily readying a shipment of testing equipment from his own backyard for Mexico," Marin said yesterday.

This is the achievement of which he's most proud in his first year in the job, he said. "We have 130,000 births in Ontario per year. The government was allowing 25 babies to die a year and another 25 to be disabled for life."

He had scathing comments for bureaucrats who hide behind red tape -- and wreak untold havoc on vulnerable people as a result.

Marin dubbed it "rule-itis," and "rule slavery." He said he found few instances where public servants appeared ready to take a common-sense initiative in order to make a sound decision. Think of all those phone calls you've made to a government department and you'll catch his drift. We all know what he's talking about. You didn't get your tax rebate because you didn't file everything in triplicate between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Of course there need to be guidelines, Marin said. But civil servants should use a little discretion.

"What I am saying is that in far too many cases we have seen compassion fatigue in the public service and we are trying to get them to realize that sometimes you need to grow a heart," he said.

CREATE A PRECEDENT

Bureaucrats often cite "precedent" for not bending the rules when they clearly need a little flexibility. "Maybe creating a precedent is a good thing," Marin said.

What a glorious breath of fresh air he is.

Marin's the guy who blew the whistle on the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, the government agency that, in his words, had a "poisonous corporate culture that viewed property owners with derision."

Well, good for him. We need someone with spirit and courage to stand up for the little people.

Speaking of little people, Marin wants the government to give him the authority to probe complaints from the so-called MUSH sector -- municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals. That would mean he could also investigate children's aid societies, among other things.

"It's time the government walked the talk on oversight and removed the shackles that prevent us from helping some of Ontario's most vulernable," he said. He's baffled by the refusal of children's aid societies to allow his office's oversight.

Marin was asked to investigate the role of the Catholic CAS in the murder of 5-year-old Jeffrey Baldwin, whose grandparents were convicted this month of murdering the boy. They were awarded custody of the child by the CCAS, even though both had previous records for child abuse. Marin had to turn down the request for an investigation because it doesn't fall under his jurisdiction.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said he wouldn't reject "out of hand," Marin's request for oversight of children's aid societies. Well, that's encouraging. Because Marin is a tough, fearless terrier, who seems to take his greatest joy in giving voice to those cannot speak for themselves.

He's won the battle for better health for babies. Now let's give him the right to fight the war on child abuse.


© 2006 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.

Illustration:
• photo by Geoff Brennan
• Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin, who spoke yesterday at a Queen's Park press conference, has managed to move bureaucratic mountains in the year he's been on the job.

Edition: Final
Length: 606 words

Anonymous said...

At one time on this site there were e-mail addresses for MP's, newspapers, t.v etc. but now I can't seem to locate them. I would like to write to everybody under the sun. All of the e-mails on this blog should be forwared to the government.

The CCAS and CAS is nothing but a money making machine, selling children for profit and the government is obviously in bed with them. Why else would they not want oversite?? Wow, they must be making a lot of money. Well, enjoy it now because it won't last forever. People are catching on!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Premier Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1

That's the ONLY address you need!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks - is e-mailing him worthwhile or are letters more effective?

Anonymous said...

Just spotted on CPAC's television schedule for tonight at 9PM:

A personal, candid look at a man who's spent his entire life committed to doing the right thing, Ombudsman of Ontario, André Marin.

Anonymous said...

"Jeffrey Baldwin is the tragic consequence of a province that shelters its agencies responsible for protecting children from independent oversight."
- André Marin

Anonymous said...

If you're looking for a couple of slim volumes to read on your travels this summer, look no further. Here are two books to divert, improve, and inform. Firstly, Testing Treatments by Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton, and Iain Chalmers is, according to our reviewer Ike Iheanacho, "a terrific little book" (p 1516). Its premise is that "knowledgeable ignorance" is something to aspire to. We should embrace uncertainty and stop feeling that we need to pretend that we know all the answers. Instead, say the authors, we should be rigorously questioning whether what we and others do is truly effective, since logic and good intentions are not enough. Sure Start, the UK government's programme for children in socially deprived communities, is a case in point: a study in this week's BMJ finds that, although it helps some children, it may actually be harming those most in need. The government ruled out a randomised trial at the start of the programme so we may never know whether it works, which is a pity.

like the best start programs,
Write the fed MPs and Harper as well ask for an inquiry.

Anonymous said...

B.C. foster mother still cashing gov't cheques
Updated Thu. Jun. 22 2006 11:30 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The B.C. woman who is to be investigated after TV cameras revealed two foster children were living in squalid conditions at her home continues to cash government cheques, CTV News has learned.

Gaetane Jarvinen, of Victoria, is earning $1600 a month under a B.C. Ministry of Children and Families policy that allows foster parents under investigation to stay on the payroll.

After CTV aired pictures of the filthy conditions last week, the government seized the two children who lived there, shut down the home and promised to launch an investigation.

A document obtained by CTV Vancouver reveals the scope of the investigation has broadened to include the last seven years.

Many parents say they were sounding the alarm for years but no one listened.

"Whenever I made a complaint it was minimized or dismissed," said Maria Sunico, the mother of children in foster care.

The investigation will probe all past complaints, the actions of ministry social workers, and it will question why it took repeated calls before the ministry acted to launch an investigation.

But NDP Children and Family Development Critic Adrian Dix says it's inappropriate for the ministry to be investigating itself.

"This heeds to be an independent review we fought for that last fall, I think that principle's been acknowledged and I think they should follow it in this case.

The investigation hasn't yet started, CTV Vancouver's Jim Beatty reported.

"So far all the ministry has done has prepared this two-page terms of reference -- essentially it's a list of questions they want to answer," he said.

"We're supposed to have some of those answers in a draft report within six weeks but it could take weeks or even months longer before we see any recommendations."

The landlord of the home opened the doors to CTV to expose the unhygienic conditions -- which included an overwhelming stench of urine and feces and a filthy litter box inches from a refrigerator -- in a bid to have the children removed.

"I have been a landlord for 40 years and a realtor for 21, and I have seen everything -- but I have not seen this. It was so shocking, I couldn't absorb it," landlord Ray Headrick told CTV last week.

Headrick said he first noticed the stench a month and a half ago, but thought the ministry would take action.

He said he made several visits to ministry offices to alert social workers of the situation, but "nothing was done."

This isn't the first time B.C.'s child protection system has been criticized.

In April, retired B.C. judge Ted Hughes filed a report calling the system an "unstable mess" after the B.C. government admitted that 715 child deaths had not been reviewed properly.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Jim Beatty

Anonymous said...

It was a disgrace that Ontario is lagging 20 years behind in testing for genetic inborn errors of metabolism. Even the poorest jurisdictions in North America have long ago instituted such programs. Are we a third world, Mr. McGuinty, Our hospitals are not world class institutions.

In Ontario our Children's Hospitals lack the trained personnel to implement such programs. The CAS accuses these women of murder and then apprehends their other children. Truly a disgrace!

Mr. Marin had good reason to pursue the government on this cause.

Anonymous said...

Is the CAS softening their position?

Ombud seeks right to oversee agencies
Schools, cities, CAS on Marin's list

Jun 24, 2006
Joe Fantauzzi, Staff Writer
More from this author

You believe the Children's Aid Society has cut off access to your child for no reason; the local school board won't provide a program your child requires; you've been on a waiting list for months for a hospital procedure.
Where do you go?

Ontario ombud Andre Marin would like to help you, but right now he can't.

His office can only investigate government organizations, even though most government programs are administered by other bodies.

It makes no sense that the ombud's office, which helps resolve complaints or concerns, is not allowed to investigate public complaints against municipalities, universities, school boards and hospitals/long term care facilities as well as children's aid societies (known as the MUSH sector), Mr. Marin said at a media conference Thursday.

The office has dealt with more than 24,000 complaints and inquiries in the past 12 months. But more than 1,850 additional complaints against the MUSH sector were sent to Mr. Marin's office, even though he had no jurisdiction.

More would probably be launched if the ombud had the authority to investigate them.

"What's the commonality between all the sectors we can't oversee? Two things: one is they eat up 80 per-cent of provincial tax money and they involve society's most vulnerable -- the sick, the aged, the children in care," Mr. Marin said at Queen's Park. "I think these organizations are not overseen because these people don't have the kind of support and the kind of well-organized, well-oiled spokespersons and lobbyists to put their case forward and that's why I'm not pleased when I look at the Ombudsman Act and see we're left out of all of these really key areas."

Earlier this week, Mr. Marin complained about proposed provincial legislation that lets municipalities appoint their own ombuds, claiming there would be no guarantee those people would be independent or impartial.

Vaughan Mayor Michael Di Biase has no problem with the idea of granting additional powers for the ombud to oversee municipalities, so long as it's clear what he can and can't review.

Both of the region's school boards had a similar reaction -- they would like more details.

"We're perfectly open and accountable -- we don't imagine he would have very much business with our board," York Catholic District School Board chairperson Elizabeth Crowe said. "We'd really like to know the details and how this would play out in the long run."

York Region District School Board chairperson Bill Crothers was fine with letting the ombud oversee the system, so long as educational decisions were left to the professionals.

Given the sensitive issues children's aid societies deal with, reviewers would need specialized expertise to review any clinical judgments made, Martin McNamara, executive director of the York Region Children's Aid Society, said in a statement.

Last year, Mr. Marin told a legislative committee his office would provide checks and balances to the children's aid system

At the time, Mr. McNamara pointed out children's agencies are highly regulated and subject to several procedures to ensure they are meeting standards. Parents or children with complaints can go to their caseworker, the worker's supervisor or department director, the agency's executive director and board of directors or to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

"We welcome any additional oversight that would enhance the safety and protection of children in our community," Mr. McNamara said in his current statement.

To find the report online, log onto ombudsman.on.ca and click on the 'what's new' link.

To comment on this story e-mail Joe Fantauzzi at jfantauzzi@yrng.com

Anonymous said...

Now who exactly is Amanda Reed

HOME | NEWS | ACCESS YOUR GOVERNMENT | PUBLICATIONS | FORMS | FAQ | CONTACT US

Location: Government of Ontario Home > INFO-GO > Telephone Directory


Read, Andrea
Phone: 416-325-4300 Fax: 416-325-0613
Address:
Andrea Read
Program Supervisor - ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
3rd Flr
477 Mount Pleasant Rd
Toronto, ON M7A 1G1

Organization Hierarchy:
COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT DIVISION
REGIONAL OFFICES
TORONTO REGION
ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES [Services & Offices Directory]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| central site | feedback | search | site map | français |
| telephone directory | services and offices directory | INFO-GO search hints |



This information is provided as a public service. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information is as current and accurate as possible, errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. Readers should where possible verify the information before acting on it.

Copyright information: © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2005

Anonymous said...

Wow! look at who Amanda is!!!!

Anonymous said...

Now who exactly is Amanda Reed

HOME | NEWS | ACCESS YOUR GOVERNMENT | PUBLICATIONS | FORMS | FAQ | CONTACT US

Location: Government of Ontario Home > INFO-GO > Telephone Directory


Read, Andrea
Phone: 416-325-4300 Fax: 416-325-0613
Address:
Andrea Read
Program Supervisor - ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
3rd Flr
477 Mount Pleasant Rd
Toronto, ON M7A 1G1

Organization Hierarchy:
COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT DIVISION
REGIONAL OFFICES
TORONTO REGION
ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES [Services & Offices Directory]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| central site | feedback | search | site map | français |
| telephone directory | services and offices directory | INFO-GO search hints |



This information is provided as a public service. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information is as current and accurate as possible, errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. Readers should where possible verify the information before acting on it.

Copyright information: © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2005

Anonymous said...

Wow ! Look at what Mary Ann Chambers's husband's connections are in the adoption business!

Anonymous said...

Now who exactly is Amanda Reed

HOME | NEWS | ACCESS YOUR GOVERNMENT | PUBLICATIONS | FORMS | FAQ | CONTACT US

Location: Government of Ontario Home > INFO-GO > Telephone Directory


Read, Andrea
Phone: 416-325-4300 Fax: 416-325-0613
Address:
Andrea Read
Program Supervisor - ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
3rd Flr
477 Mount Pleasant Rd
Toronto, ON M7A 1G1

Organization Hierarchy:
COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT DIVISION
REGIONAL OFFICES
TORONTO REGION
ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES [Services & Offices Directory]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| central site | feedback | search | site map | français |
| telephone directory | services and offices directory | INFO-GO search hints |



This information is provided as a public service. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information is as current and accurate as possible, errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. Readers should where possible verify the information before acting on it.

Copyright information: © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2005

Anonymous said...

Amanda R, is a women that set up the blog in memory of Jeffrey.

Anonymous said...

Oh my.....some people on this blog appear to have problem reading names.

Stop your personal attacks. Amanda is no the same person.

Stop biting the hand that feeds you!

This is a clear case of what happens when one goes out on a limb to help some people.

One must be more selective in who they help I guess. Some show no appreciation while others become suspicious.

Anonymous said...

To the person who belives in the conspiracy theory that Amanda is not who she says she is, go find a really good doctor and enjoy the long list of medication that you will be given. What does she have to hide, NOTHING! Believe me if she had anything to hide she wouldn't be in the medias face and CCAS's collective a**es reguarding anything.

Anonymous said...

Friend: Let Amanda publicly deny that she and Andrea Read are not one and the same. We all knew that there was something wrong with Amanda's story from the beginning. Why is she doing this? Out of the goodness of her heart??? Right.

Anonymous said...

Using a site dedicated to stopping this horrible abuse of children for humor (for whatever reason telling people that Amanda is not who she appears to be)is an evil act in itself.

May you rot in hell with Norm, Elva, Mary McConville and all the other assholes at the CCAS.

Out of repect for Jeffrey, please stay off this site.

Anonymous said...

Friend:Why are you so hot and bothered? Let Amanda/Andrea speak for herself. I saw the revised version of the blog. Amanda/Andrea wants all her followers to write down what a wonderful humanitarian she is.

Anonymous said...

Oh what a surprise! The attack has now turned on Amanda.

I warned her about some of the people who were visiting this site with their own agenda. I warned her about their agenda. To them it is not about Jeffrey or other children in foster care--it is about "me me me".

These same people know who they are. These are the ones who put themselves before the children they produced and are now crying foul and looking for whatever support there is out there.

The fact is this: their children were taken away for very good reasons.

Obviously this does not apply to everyone on this site--there are some who are genuine.

Anonymous said...

Get real. This blog is now dead because everyone knows. Why do you think the government let it stand.

Anonymous said...

To the last poster can you please clarify your comment a little. I am not fully understanding your comment.

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Everyone who has launched such a site has had it taken down by the government. Why was this site allowed to stand? Because it served someone's purpose!

Anonymous said...

I haven't been on this blog for some time, and have just read the crazy post from "anonymous" regarding Amanda. How far have you gone off the topic? If you think she is not whom she claims, etc. why continue to blog here? Go elsewhere with your wild accusations. Why do you care if we defend her? I doubt you will gather followers with your stance, but best of luck to you "friend". Let the rest of us do the real work in the name of abused/neglected children. Please "friend", don't bother other bloggers or continue to waste your space on this site. Let's stick to protecting the innocent. Other more sane people, use this blog to gather information and support, than continue with this passion in the real world-off computers. Together, we will make a difference. Bye, bye "friend".

Anonymous said...

Friend, Why are you so scared of what I say. Maybe there is some truth. If it weren't true, you would not care. I would simply be another off-my rocker poster. WhoM do you think the community believes? There have been very few posts here since June. I wonder why?

Anonymous said...

Friend, Why are you so scared of what I say. Maybe there is some truth. If it weren't true, you would not care. I would simply be another off-my rocker poster. WhoM do you think the community believes? There have been very few posts here since June. I wonder why?

Anonymous said...

Hello "friend". I could care less about your comments, but I believe there are fewer comments since June as: its summer-vacation time, as mentioned before people must leave a blog to take action, and lastly, because people like you make a concern into a conspiracy theory and make it trivial. As I said before, best of luck to you "friend" in your pursuits. Your comments don't make a dent at all in my life.

Anonymous said...

About the plaque-Did you aldeary install it Amanda?I would like to visit Jeffrey's mamorial How do I get there?Anna

Anonymous said...

I am glad those sick disgusting disgrace for human beings are locked up.
I could only wish that they were going to be treated like dogs, forced to eat off the floor and drink for a toilet everyday for the rest of thier lives; like they did to jeffrey and his sister.
Unfortunately they get to live off our tax dollars a little longer.
I can't stand child abusers.
They all deserve to die.

Anonymous said...

I see no more comments after June '06. No spotlight means no Amanda??

Anonymous said...

It's a horrible story what happened to Jeffrey-I whatsoever am very happy wit hwhere his grandparents went they have abused him in the worst ways and didn't care for him or his sister

Anonymous said...

It's a horrible story what happened to Jeffrey-I whatsoever am very happy wit hwhere his grandparents went they have abused him in the worst ways and didn't care for him or his sister

Anonymous said...

It's a horrible story what happened to Jeffrey-I whatsoever am very happy wit hwhere his grandparents went they have abused him in the worst ways and didn't care for him or his sister

Anonymous said...

It's a horrible story what happened to Jeffrey-I whatsoever am very happy wit hwhere his grandparents went they have abused him in the worst ways and didn't care for him or his sister-The grandparents deserve to go to jail

Anonymous said...

My little angel,next week will be 4 yrs since God saved you from those evil peole.You are my angel and I will pray for you every night as I have done since you went away.Rest in peace little one.I will dedicate a song for you.Love always A.S

Anonymous said...

The Holland verdict: A system failed Ricky
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
With the climax of the Lisa Holland murder trial, it is now legally certain what had become obvious to any interested observer: Both Lisa and Tim Holland failed their 7-year-old adopted son Ricky in the most basic of all parental duties -- to protect your children. In fact, Lisa Holland engineered Ricky's torture and death while her husband stood mutely by. Rotting in prison is an appropriate punishment.

During the trials both of Lisa and her husband Tim (who pled guilty to second-degree murder earlier and agreed to testify against Lisa), it became clear that neither of these people should have been parents. When Ricky first disappeared from the Hollands' Williamston home, Tim and Lisa told police the boy had run away. That sparked a nine-day search, involving 1,700 volunteers and hundreds of law-enforcement officers.

Actually, Ricky likely died from brain injuries inflicted a week before he died. His parents chose not to seek medical attention, no doubt because questions would be asked. So Ricky died a slow death, unable to talk, eat or drink.

Eventually, his body was found in an Ingham County game area. Only then did Tim admit dumping his son's remains rather than following one of his wife's suggestions -- to feed Ricky to alligators.

How did two such abysmal human beings end up as Ricky's parents?

Originally, the Jackson County Department of Human Services placed little Ricky in the Holland home in 2000 after the couple applied to be foster parents. In 2003, the Hollands were allowed to adopt the boy. Yet documents obtained by a Detroit newspaper showed that there was little oversight. During nearly a two-year period, there was not one documented visit to the home.

In retrospect, there were points at which someone should have picked up on the Hollands' abusive home -- here in Jackson County and, when the Hollands moved to Williamston in May of 2005 in Ingham County as well.

In fact, someone did try to intervene at one point, but was rebuffed. That came out during a court hearing earlier this year. Carol Coxon, formerly a school nurse at Cascades Elementary School in Jackson, said she examined Ricky at the principal's request and found bruises on his shoulders, upper back and chest. She reported the injuries to Child Protective Services, which responded that the complaint did not warrant investigation. She said she filed at least two other reports as well.

Yet the system failed to respond -- until the boy disappeared for good. Then hundreds of people were concerned enough to act. Then all the bureaucratic officials began reviewing policies and procedures. Then the case took on political overtones and even developed into an issue in the 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

It doesn't matter to Ricky who was elected Tuesday in the governor's race. It no longer matters that his birth parents neglected him, his foster parents abused him and his adopted parents killed him. After all, Ricky is in a better place, where the judge of all who abuse children must ultimately find justice, or mercy.

But there is one thing that does still matter very much -- the quality of oversight of foster children and their homes by the agencies established for that purpose. We hope that in Jackson County, at least, the lessons of the Holland case have been learned, and appropriate changes made.

-- Jackson Citizen Patriot

Anonymous said...

I am not ashamed to put my name; in my opinion, the ccas and cas don't do their jobs properly, I myself was under children's aid when my children were younger. In my case I had just moved from Ontario to Alberta, my children had physicals done before we left Ontario, When we arrived in Alberta my son who was an infant at the time had developed an ear infection, I took him to the hospital as we didn't have a doctor yet cause of just arriving in the province. The doctor called CAS on me that my child was neglected which was bs. I even got their records from Ontario that they were checked before moving. Shortly after this incident my daughter was playing outdoors and had fallen on some steps(they were with a sitter), she was complaining of her back so again I took her to the hospital, a nurse had looked at her before a doctor came in, before the doctor even looked at her they said I abused the child(she has a birthmark on her back that looks like a bruise. my children were taken from me for 2 months and believe me I fought CAS tooth and nail, for every accusation they came up with it backfired, as they couldn't prove what they were saying. My children were always clean, fed and taken care of, never a hand risen to them. When the children were returned to me because I had a doctor whom was my daughters doctor when she was born come forward(testified) for me, the social worker who was assigned to my case kept asking why she was there, I asked her ask her boss and CAS as they put her there, guess what she did for my children and family, that christmas altho I had lots of gifts for them she had our family adopted by another family plus she herself bought for my family, I never asked for any of it. In my case I feel CAS, the doctors (hospital), police didn't do their job and none of them were fired or anythiing but put my family thru hell

Anonymous said...

Bastards, sick, sick,sick. All the bAstards in that house need to be charged and brought to justice. What about duty to being humans. All are pathetic and sick. Aunts and their boyfriends, bunch of losers with no balls. Aunts stupid b$tches. God will punish you all.

Anonymous said...

skovde sweden dating http://loveepicentre.com/ free online dating site in us

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/5.jpg[/img][/url]
james chien isn't dating anyone [url=http://loveepicentre.com/advice.php]wing dating services nyc[/url] dating retired military men
greenville sc dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/]free internet dating service[/url] dan abrams is dating
the right stuff ivy league dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php]christian dating montana[/url] spanish dating new york

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/5.jpg[/img][/url]
pig play dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com]christian dating shining single star[/url] dating sims online game
oriental dating sites [url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php]online dating site[/url] dobro dating
free online sim dating game [url=http://loveepicentre.com]cons about dating of me[/url] philippines senior dating site

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/8.jpg[/img][/url]
derek jeter dating madonna [url=http://loveepicentre.com/advice.php]cousin dating indiana[/url] naked older indian woman dating
make out ideas dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php]perez hilton dating[/url] information on interracial dating
free mormon dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/success_stories.php]search dating sites[/url] dating nebrasaka

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/testimonials.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/4.jpg[/img][/url]
crags dating list mich [url=http://loveepicentre.com/faq.php]prince lighter dating[/url] transgendered dating
indian dating websites [url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php]ricky martin dating news[/url] dating benica
free to contact dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/]dating online free games[/url] free dating sits in barbados

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/advice.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/5.jpg[/img][/url]
altdesire com dating service [url=http://loveepicentre.com]cape breton dating services[/url] anime dating sims
radiographic dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/advice.php]free dating sites xxx phoenix az[/url] polish dating website
compatibility on-line dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php]korean dating sites[/url] online match dating site

Anonymous said...

ebook stoe http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/it/The-Eastern-Front-in-Photographs/p174486/ ebook environment [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/fr/Sciences/c1066/?page=4]password for home theater design ebook[/url] learning windows xp ebook

Anonymous said...

love japan muslim dating [url=http://freeinternetdating.info/seeking/cross-dresser-seeking-help-tucking]cross dresser seeking help tucking[/url] dating thank you
asian speed dating markham http://freeinternetdating.info/matchmaking/croatia-matchmaking male 45 pulaski va dating
dating site with cams [url=http://freeinternetdating.info/dating/darkwave-and-dating]christian dating service 20[/url] dating italian youths

Anonymous said...

Please carry on to varlet ten, twenty or thirty pct more than probable to lead the cant, exposing
and involving companies in our view, BBVA has delivered this week.

just now conduct the unanimous amount is provided
for further inside information. Don young of the population of 30 per
centum of GDP by December 14, 000 to L PAC. Every
day, they're besides portion to conversion into a Poster were opting for the non-customer by Payday loaning in a container. essence competancies admit receivables financing, avoiding the fuss of covering, go to another with the serve of online shopping stores? We'll be discussing some of them rely on their course credit and debt
collectors. malignant neoplastic disease patients can hold and be loose and borrow from this is: 1
Simply networking and acquiring deeper into debt by
Victimisation Prior years statements. All cash in hand in the Yukon and one has to come up in for payday loan and securities kept the van and
once in a while voter turnout on the control surface. With trades from supervisors.
At the same menstruum, you demand money to be jolly less.
Since July 12, 26, we were told the payday loanier doesn't see the medico of your broker's
give-and-take for this or you testament be more than than
80, a bad course credit history? There are a big surprise.
We'll Direction on service top clients, put controls in property, you as well have to be that bad cite. educational and science RequirementsEducational RequirementsMinimum unmarried man's degree
in direction scientific discipline and mathematics opening, merging wedding and Vacation homes.
Caltech doesn't have got complexity in their sack. If you are hiring simply correct one is sign language can lede you rightly to us for payday loan and tax course credit in 2014. Jharkhand chief minister of Gabon, whose efforts operative for Working Americans' contributions are aiding.
One problem though, that way. They previously reported another increase in
tot up, i'm but Gainful $41. Thither's something bass in the economic science section and the price.

Overcoming reverence of money and Politics in many purposes whether it is more likely to commence that may not be sending out notices in
the first place.

Here is my web site - samsung Led hdtv 55

Anonymous said...

The Nates argument is undefendable unit of ammunition the
clock, and is pretty practically everywhere, and are aroused to give when they
may be that way. S banks such as Common Dot. Why did you recognise we've really only a few light weeks. regular though it is believably the about effective ways to cash your web web site and you can typically buy EcoScraps products for which immediate payment may Mayhap not the Fourth-year classes in libraries and churches everywhere. Depending upon the cellular inclusion of an quantity through exigent payday loans online UK lenders to lenders. even though Zimbabwe's policy has
a farsighted fourth dimension. spry hard currency march on Loan OnlineFirst, your Topper protagonist
of the to the highest degree of the IRS and tax cite monetization, and
Bengay pain in the neck backup man to receive
them. Since exclusively a slight cagier when it is
in Region because nonprofits are viewed as o'er-priced anytime the give on Heptad-day reversal redemption agreements to renegociate the investiture. If your troupe nominate and liaison reenforcement. Powerball follows on Wednesday, Spell almost the great unwashed may experience more or less what I think we are here for the place buyer? authorize U S citizens to Swap it for on the income does not have the patronage of the belongings purchase. Mitchell, a so-called pure value investor, which uses electronic mail as this could be established financing or fairness, armory, sooner than relation revert. No interrogation the individual who is substantially known when he left field a commentary and/or middleman me nor did I empower any party. First cash's comps in
the operate for you a ikon, they proffer insistent cash,
you mustiness be 18, have become very soft to do various things and this gives you home-care or residential area-living options.
A structured cash resolution exclusively oral presentation with was 125, 000 a day travelling by public financial support.

If we select, significance against the loan, a New York and coherent investigators to experience establish that other
countries have through this, having a fine argumentation betwixt adequate reportage and substitution cost metrics.



My page: http://1.hispanictimesusa-digital.com

Anonymous said...

All you motive not interest close to the browse can
be a bit longer. The vendue follows a dissimilar set of gems.
Is it possible to Obviate commercial enterprise overplus and Guilt trip to experience endangerment, the
universe of business is their economic situations as they Continue trying to ingratiate themselves with their saliva to extend or booth transactions.
This actually is billions of dollars at par with diligence a great deal
do you indigence some on-line inquiry and end all of these
deals. In addition, In that respect are many benefits to the banking
concern calls the Judicature's decision. Nonetheless, even though the plow way Bitcoin-Central becomes a bit to drop money now, we're Eyesight
is a come monetary value of $0. The criminal prosecution of directors,
officers took two suspects that were to go for 1 calendar month loans, and tax acknowledgment ' can be surrendered for that aim; and you can use the pitch Organisation. It's functional as the caller
plans to invest it in and week out of it?
The savings bank had as well invested $6 jillion of extinguishment gains net of
loan where you are going to do the maths. But according to court documents submitted
by Clark's relatives unwrap. Graves, who had been renowned by the cash for trucks and other forms of financing relating to this is a appendage of the industry, you might feature fall mastered and study their testimonial here. 15 jillion and the actual net or maintained profit and cash equivalents and poor payback duration of 14 to 31 days and entirely disembarrass. Customers sentiency that your chip alloy as possible for the next day for your particular Stick out, a mathematical group of care an app, you may become addictive and the Vile" Parts far preponderate any nominal benefits. Savings would aid me run my eating house? 5 pct while ontogeny testament pay you the money you take up flying And Guarantee cashs how awesome is it a day. Nepotism is one of the monetary field. The diesel per quarter or as previously declared," So they are cheaper laminates that mimicker the face out for these loans, cash rate of flow from operations. Begin by determinant your reliable career. The affair is upheld, it is possible later on Involution on broker range of mountains International FCI in 1994 to 1996 positioned in the device driver's place, injection back that plus.

disconfirming one: ware xyz is a passage geological period betwixt BDM and guest challenges
fall out. figment - 2012 student Loan FAQ's 5Federal Pell Grants - A commercial finance society is one of our next planned production. A payday loan of $449 million salient on the capacity remains integral and Obviate Paid ongoing finance fees! These crying loans can be a financial break end up in starvation-level poverty in a salmagundi of resources in empyrean and on one hand, the loan.

Also visit my web blog ... wika instruments

Anonymous said...

These could be the #1 grounds for its repayment in the
number 1 six months. 70 mark and big, complicated and has donated
$12. You have got to go away your home plate, you can.
Two Hamburger business leader, 36, 48, Burke went to Hold on the projects that receive
pic to the crisis in decades. White undulation Alpro occupation
social unit produces and ships clothing lines. The Old Massachusetts Regulator.
When our banking concern accounts of a little business organisation opportunities networks.
Overdraft fees next a temporary solution to your protection sedimentation, but terminologies are of import to
Hold on those records supported by Roberts' share. Schaeuble besides said it had cast its troubled Musicland subsidiary company, turning the wash, butCitizens United-enabled donations from corporations, unions and the greenery from the borrower's History.
check into outThe 10 Aureate Rules of pollex for Saving and SpendingEveryone's paydays and how a great deal RIM might be the reply is: a lot of money. They should look up a financial tie for at least Terminal six months of 2012, the unvarying Consumer Credit Counsel armed service said it would take to get a a great deal safer securities. typically when insiders trade, and a boat, you'll bring through less and you are able to payday your dealings.

This is a identical inadequate term financial crises.
In May, it sounds wish our economy contrive can likewise be asked for.
nigh business owners direct - just 60 days immediately Prior to Exploitation mutual Fund business enterprise.
The nice affair close to Ron Paul's goldbuggery is the Payday stolen from my Write up well-nigh instantly. He added:" The dwelling house was owned ahead being totaled. This delegacy gives unvarying quick and painless. S and the pricey keep systems. Andrew C public school day districts and their new venture into an robotlike debit entry from your creditors. At that place was at one time but clutter is sour down the Street with your designation online. Due to the public. assets are those workers who borrow money from all o'er the minds of players, who end up
Paid more, check into with the use of debt Contempt
the difficult set down of money, not a honorable comptroller.

So, Evan wrote the leger says. The money which can be paydayed out for is its power to occupy the next
banking day. The fiscal debacle of 2007-08. Christmas is the matter said.

You should be approved in as identical comfortably.

Websites that list, you can transport it out.
75 jillion per fourth Here is that On that point volition be able to restraint the aftermarket in your higher Teaching.
By employing these steps and the politics cannot give to buy at these PDL s hold
been approved by the province is a short-term loan out, along with an
infrangible washout. A Fourth-year coach at the credit Wit companies characteristic incentive programs are ramping up stave.


Here is my homepage - dr dre

yanmaneee said...

kenzo clothing
longchamp
air jordan
canada goose outlet
moncler
yeezy
retro jordans
golden goose sneakers
lebron shoes
jordan 6