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Phantom Secretariat

December 11, 2012 permalink

The archives stored on the fixcas website contain a (small) history of an Ontario body known as the Child Welfare Secretariat.

A few years ago we found the website of the Sparrow Lake Alliance, now gone from cyberspace. But we captured the membership list as of 2006. In that list, Bruce Rivers listed his affiliation as Child Welfare Secretariat.

In 2004 minister of children and youth services Marie Bountrogianni mentioned the Child Welfare Secretariat in an exchange in the Ontario legislature. She was expecting a report from Bruce (Rivers) of the CWS at the end of December.

In January 2005 minister Bountrogianni referred to the Child Welfare Secretariat again. At that time a five-year statutory review of child and family services was coming due. A press release from the minister said that the newly established Child Welfare Secretariat has been consulting with the child welfare community during the past year to review key parts of the child protection system. Anticipating the announcement, fixcas sent a letter with suggestions to the ministry on December 6, 2004. On February 3, 2005 minister Bountrogianni addressed a letter to Robert T McQuaid (at the same link) saying that the suggestions had been forwarded to Bruce Rivers, Executive Director of the Child Welfare Secretariat.

A document issued by the ministry of children and youth services in July 2005 titled Child Welfare Transformation 2005: A strategic plan for a flexible, sustainable and outcome oriented service delivery model (pdf) introduced the Child Welfare Secretariat. The Sponsoring Assistant Deputy Minister was Trinela Cane and team members were Shelley Acheson, Jennifer Gallagher, Elaine Kennedy, Anna Mazurkiewicz, Sally McGowan, Kevin Morris, Jim Phillips, Bruce Rivers, Susan Rudnick, Chris Steven and Nico Trocmé.

On July 22, 2011 a letter on the letterhead of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services was address to Ms Yvonne Craig. It was signed by Josephine Fuller, Interim Director, Child Welfare Secretariat.

Here is what the government of Ontario says now on its own website:

CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES
POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM DESIGN DIVISION
CHILD WELFARE SECRETARIAT [Telephone Directory]

General Inquiry: 416-314-9462
Fax: 416-326-8098
Address:
3rd Flr
101 Bloor St W
Toronto ON M5S2Z7

Description:

The Child Welfare Secretariat is responsible for the policies, legislation and programs supporting Ontario's child protection services. The child welfare system helps children and youth who have been abused or neglected to grow up in a safe, stable, caring environment and become successful adults. The Secretariat works with Ontario's 53 children's aid societies and community partners to make the child protection system responsive to the needs of children, youth and their families receiving care.

or select one of the following

  • CHILDREN IN CARE
  • PREVENTION AND PROTECTION SERVICES
  • TRANSFORMATION IMPLEMENTATION

Source: Ontario government

In December 2012 we learn the truth about Ontario's Child Welfare Secretariat: it never existed! Yes, the government really says that. In a letter to Chris Carter denying his freedom of information request, Cate Parker says: According to the Child Welfare Secretariat, there is no listing or index of records concerning a charter and/or mandate. So either the Ontario government acts like the CIA (eliminate this foreign president without leaving a paper trail) or the Child Welfare Secretariat never existed. It was a phantom to divert attention from the inaction of policymakers.

phantom

sequential