The Arrogance Of McGinty Ministers

CBC report even more damning.......

No minister, we can't wait
By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD

A sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach gave way to a bitter bile that rose in my throat as I listened to Ontario Children's Minister Mary Anne Chambers bob and weave yesterday.

She was asked to respond to the findings of a leaked draft report by the provincial auditor that slams four of the largest Children's Aid Societies (CAS) in the province -- Thunder Bay, Toronto, Peel Region and in York Region. The report was obtained by CBC Radio.

It said the auditor's investigation found some CAS executives were driving leased, luxury SUVs and that some senior staff had gym memberships and personal trainers, paid for out of CAS funds.

Among other questionable items, the report cited scores of trips to the Caribbean taken by staff members and children in their care, as well as personal trips to all-inclusive resorts.

The report said one of the societies paid $1,700 for a seven-day, all-inclusive trip to a resort in St. Maarten and another paid $4,000 for a one-week trip to St. Lucia. This for a caseworker to accompany a child returning to its biological family.

What is most shocking, though, is that the report says many children in need of CAS protection were not getting the care they need.

On average, in a third of cases, visits to vulnerable children were late by three weeks and some children weren't seen at all.

Chambers didn't have a response to any of this yesterday and simply came across as arrogant.

It is usual for ministers to be given a draft of an auditor's findings, before they are officially released, so they can respond. But Chambers wouldn't say if her ministry had done anything in light of the report's findings.

Grilled by Progressive Conservative leader John Tory during Question Period yesterday, Chambers responded: "The Leader of the Opposition is unnecessarily complicating things. This is really simple. Today is Thursday, November 30, 2006. The report from the auditor will be released on Tuesday, December 5, 2006. You can wait until then and I'll be very happy to respond at that time."

Yes, Minister, Tory can wait. But why should children in the care of the CAS have to wait? What about all those vulnerable little ones who need our help and who apparently aren't getting it?

Can they wait?

These allegations, if accurate, are a disgrace. And looking back over the years, children's aid societies in this province have not exactly covered themselves in glory.

Here are some of the names that keep going through my kind: Jordan Heikamp, Randal Dooley, Jeffrey Baldwin.

Little Jordan, just five weeks old, was left to starve to death in a women's shelter while under the watch of the Catholic Children's Aid Society in 1997. He weighed 4 lb. 2 oz when he died -- four ounces less than his birth weight.

Randal Dooley was beaten to death in 1998. Teachers at his school called the CAS who, incredibly, told them it was a police matter and were not heard from until two weeks after his death.

Remember Jeffrey Baldwin? The little boy was murdered in 2002 by his grandparents - who'd been awarded custody of the child by the CCAS -- even though both had previous records for child abuse?

It's too late for them.

But other unknown, abused, battered children out there who need help cannot wait -- especially if it is true that CAS officials are driving around in luxury cars and jetting off for tax -funded vacations.

What about good foster parents, who, for a small allowance, love and care for these children?

They're told there's no money for a raise? Well, if there's cash for cars and gyms and vacations for CAS execs then there's cash to help them in their important work.

What about the many dedicated front-line child care workers who work for a relative pittance? If they ask for a raise, are they going to be told there's no funding?

Apparently, we all have to wait until Tuesday to start getting some answers. Have a nice weekend, minister.