John Dunn's CAS Prosecution Ends

December 1, 2010 permalink

John Dunn's prosecution of Ottawa CAS for failure to provide him with a membership list came to an end today because of a thirty minute mistake.

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CAS membership case dismissed when plaintiff fails to show up

By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen December 1, 2010

John Dunn's attempt to prosecute the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa crashed and burned before it even began Wednesday.

Dunn, an activist who runs an advocacy group called the Foster Care Council of Canada, filed charges last year under the Corporations Act after the CAS refused to release its membership list to him, citing privacy concerns.

The case was scheduled to be heard in provincial court at 9 a.m. Wednesday, but the charges were dismissed when Dunn failed to show up.

A chagrined Dunn later explained that he thought the case was scheduled for 9:30 a.m., even though the Foster Care Council's own website listed the correct time.

Dunn wanted the membership list so he could lobby CAS members to create a new class of members for the society's former wards, even if they live outside its area of jurisdiction.

Dunn said he will consider appealing the dismissal if he is legally able to do so.

Barbara MacKinnon, the Ottawa CAS's executive director, said the society's board "really would like to have a constructive relationship with Mr. Dunn.

"We don't want any adversarial relationship with Mr. Dunn at all," she said. "We're very open and recognize that every voice is important in this community."

MacKinnon said the CAS has offered to send letters from Dunn to CAS members, and is still willing to do so.

Source: Ottawa Citizen