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Hearings on CFSA

December 19, 2005 permalink

The Ontario legislature is considering changes to the Child and Family Services Act under bill 210. The Standing Committee on Social Policy held four hearings on the bill. Half of the hearing time was devoted to First Nations. Along with the usual functionaries of the social services system, the committee heard from some witnesses outside the system. The links below point to each of the four days record, and list the outsiders giving testimony.

Daily Hansard:

Witnesses:

Here is a submission to the committee not in the Hansard:

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Social Policy Committee:
Chair: Mario Racco, Liberal www.marioracco.onmpp.ca
Vice Chair: Khalil Ramal, Liberal www.khalilramal.onmpp.ca
Members: Ted Arnott, Conservative www.tedarnottmpp.com
Ted Chudleigh, Conservative www.tedchudleigh.com
Kim Craitor, Liberal www.kimcraitor.com
Peter Fonseca, Liberal www.peterfonseca.onmpp.ca
Jeff Leal, Liberal www.jeffleal.onmpp.ca
Rosario Marchese, New Democrat www.rosariomarchese.ca
Kathleen Wynne, Liberal www.kathleenwynne.ca

Re: Amendments to Bill C210

Gentle men and women:

As a parent of 2 high needs adoptive children, I have had a good look at the operation of the Children Aid Societies of Ontario. I was truly appalled with what I have learned. It has made me ashamed to be called an adoptive parent. Knowing what I now know, I can never again hold a foster parent/adoptive parents with the same innocent regard. It represents my loss of trust in government. I think only of the pain of the biological family coerced into this quagmire.

I gathered my information by speaking to many involved Ontario citizens. I guess I did what you were supposed to do. Initially I thought I was simply unfortunate to have run into "2 bad apples." Instead I found an entire system rotten to the core and in need of reform, a system seeking to coverup its misdeeds. It is a system that functions with our precious children as mere "economic reimbursement units." It is about careers, jobs, and money, but most of all money. The blunt truth does hurt.

The secrecy of the current and proposed legislation facilitates the abuse of human rights. This secrecy can no longer be contained. It has been disclosed to the entire world. The World Government knows how Canada violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It knows how Canada treats its immigrants, the poor, single women, the special needs community, and its children. Only children without parents are entitled to health, education, shelter, and food. It routinely rips children from poor parents to provide these services, truly a black mark on Canada and particularly Ontario. Canada trafficks in children.

I urge you to strengthen the complaint process to protect the rights of families and their dependent children. I would also urge you to strength the powers of the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers to bring it into line with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the College of Nurses, and the College of Teachers. Any social worker who falsifies his sworn affidavit should be stripped of his credentials. Does it happen? Yes, from personal experience. All professionals who work with the "protected" groups and paid from the public purse should be held accountable to their communities and to the ethical/moral standards of their profession. They draw their mandate and power from these communities. These communities have the right to set the boundaries. They are not simply asking for these rights but demanding them.

$1.3 billion of our Ontario tax dollars are given annually to this industry. It is "a private corporation" funded solely by tax dollars. There are no outcome measures to insure that these monies are spent on our children. Unacceptable! At last it is time for accountability and transparency in government.

Thank you for receiving my comments.

Sincerely,

Dolores A. Sicheri MD FRCPC
Peter Sicheri
Michael Sicheri
15 December 2005
Lakeshore, Ontario

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