Ontario's Bill 93 2008 (*Formerly Bill 88 2006)
If passed, Ontario's Bill 93 will allow victims of malicious legal attacks
by Children's Aid Societies to have an opportunity to be heard. Allowing the Ontario%u2019s Ombudsman Office to investigate the Children's Aid Societies will not interfere with legitimate child protection cases or child safety its objective allows Government to bring accountability back to Children%u2019s Aid Societies with the power to investigate these non-profit organisations in cases of wrongdoing.
The Bill
Ontario's Bill 93 2008 (*Formerly Ontario Bill 88 2006)
An Act to amend the Ombudsman Act with respect to children's aid societies.
Note: This Act amends the Ombudsman Act. For the legislative history of the Act, see the Table of Consolidated Public Statutes - Detailed Legislative History on www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/.
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1. The Ombudsman Act is amended by adding the following section:
Ombudsman may investigate children's aid societies
14.1 (1) Anything that the Ombudsman may do under this Act in respect of a governmental organization, the Ombudsman may do in respect of a society as defined in subsection 3 (1) of the Child and Family Services Act.
Same
(2) If the Ombudsman does or proposes to do anything in respect of a society as defined in subsection 3 (1) of the Child and Family Services Act, any reference in this Act to a governmental organization is deemed to be a reference to the society.
Commencement
2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
3. The short title of this Act is the Ombudsman Amendment Act (Children's Aid Societies), 2008.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Bill amends the Ombudsman Act to allow the Ombudsman to investigate any decision or recommendation made or any act done or omitted in the course of the administration of a children's aid society.
If you or your group are interrested in getting involved or you would like more information please visit http://www.bill88.ca/
If passed, Ontario's Bill 93 will allow victims of malicious legal attacks
by Children's Aid Societies to have an opportunity to be heard. Allowing the Ontario%u2019s Ombudsman Office to investigate the Children's Aid Societies will not interfere with legitimate child protection cases or child safety its objective allows Government to bring accountability back to Children%u2019s Aid Societies with the power to investigate these non-profit organisations in cases of wrongdoing.
The Bill
Ontario's Bill 93 2008 (*Formerly Ontario Bill 88 2006)
An Act to amend the Ombudsman Act with respect to children's aid societies.
Note: This Act amends the Ombudsman Act. For the legislative history of the Act, see the Table of Consolidated Public Statutes - Detailed Legislative History on www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/.
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1. The Ombudsman Act is amended by adding the following section:
Ombudsman may investigate children's aid societies
14.1 (1) Anything that the Ombudsman may do under this Act in respect of a governmental organization, the Ombudsman may do in respect of a society as defined in subsection 3 (1) of the Child and Family Services Act.
Same
(2) If the Ombudsman does or proposes to do anything in respect of a society as defined in subsection 3 (1) of the Child and Family Services Act, any reference in this Act to a governmental organization is deemed to be a reference to the society.
Commencement
2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
3. The short title of this Act is the Ombudsman Amendment Act (Children's Aid Societies), 2008.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Bill amends the Ombudsman Act to allow the Ombudsman to investigate any decision or recommendation made or any act done or omitted in the course of the administration of a children's aid society.
If you or your group are interrested in getting involved or you would like more information please visit http://www.bill88.ca/
RE: Bill 93 - An Act to amend the Ombudsman Act with respect to children's aid societies
As you are likely aware, complaints about the various children's aid agencies are an ongoing problem in many Ontario communities. Every year a number of children in Ontario are being killed, being sexually abused, beaten, neglected and/or exploited while in care of CAS. There are countless stories of abuse of children and families by CAS workers and agencies and more of these horror stories are being exposed every day largely as a result of citizens beginning to share information through the Internet about the injustices they face. . Serious problems with CAS agencies have been allowed to continue for many years with much damage to children and families in Ontario and at great cost to the provincial economy.
Many of the workers who cause so much of this damage are not even allowed to engage in social work or call themselves social workers as the vast majority of CAS workers are not registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers. While the Province of Ontario enacted legislation to create the Ontario College of Social Workers with the clear intention of protecting the public%u2019s interest, CAS agencies have been allowed to skirt the intent of legislation by simply referring to their workers as %u201Cchild protection workers%u201D thus allowing their workers to avoid scrutiny and oversight by the College of Social Workers. Questions must be asked as to why CAS workers and agencies are allowed so much power yet allowed to blatantly make a mockery of the very legislation intended to protect children and families in Ontario.
When dealing with children%u2019s aid agencies, the citizens of Ontario do not have the same protections as they would have when dealing with various government agencies. As private charitable organizations, children%u2019s aid agencies are exempt from such basic protections offered to the citizens under Freedom of Information legislation and by the Ontario Ombudsman%u2019s Office. Lack of accountability and transparency has been a complaint about the child protection system for years, yet children%u2019s aid agencies in Ontario are still allowed to hide behind the veil of secrecy granted to them as private charitable organizations. As many citizens know, CAS agencies use their unlimited source of funds from the taxpayers and their high paid legal law firms to destroy any family who dares to expose the wrongdoing of any CAS agency.
I would like to see children%u2019s aid agencies be more accountable and transparent to the citizens and taxpayers of Ontario by giving the Ombudsman of Ontario the authority to investigate complaints about the CAS. Currently, most other provinces in Canada have Ombudsman oversight, yet Ontario does not. To support claims that CAS agencies need greater oversight, for your reference I have provided a list of information sources at the end of this letter. In addition to these references, I would also suggest that you simply log on to YouTube and to do a search under %u201Cchildren%u2019s aid society%u201D to see countless horror stores about CAS. Many citizens are beginning to speak up.
Currently, there is a private member%u2019s bill before the Legislature, Bill 93, which passed first reading in June of 2008. It was introduced by Andrea Horwath from Hamilton Centre Riding. A number of signatures have already been collected from the Oakville riding on a petition in support Bill 93. The citizens of Ontario are beginning to understand that magnitude of the problem with CAS in Ontario and want these ongoing problems and the needless expense to the taxpayers to be eliminated.
As my member of the provincial Legislature, I would kindly ask that you to familiarize yourself with Bill 93 and to provide your utmost attention and support to this Bill so that it will be passed into law as quickly as possible. While having the Ombudsman oversee children aid agencies may not fix all of the problems, it is a step in the right direction and will help to eliminate some of the many problems that have been repeatedly plaguing CAS agencies in Ontario.
At this time I would greatly appreciate being advised as to whether you are willing to support Bill 93 when this Bill is brought up for a vote. If you are uncertain, then I would be more than willing to arrange a joint meeting with a number of other constituents from the riding so that we can discuss this issue in depth in order to gain your full support on this important issue.
Not only will children and families benefit from having Ombudsman oversight of the CAS, but expenditures of tax dollars will likely be reduced as a result of workers acting with greater due diligence in their work, knowing that the Ombudsman has the power to investigate complaints and to make recommendations.
Should you need more information, members of our group have hundreds of other articles which clearly show that CAS agencies in Ontario continue to abuse tax dollars and needlessly tear many families apart this helping to destroy the very social fabric of our society. Members of our local group would also be willing to provide support to any person who may contact your office looking for help when dealing with a CAS agency so feel free to have staff pass on my phone number.
Your response in writing would be most appreciated.
I have been harassed for lack of a better owrd from the Childrens aid society for 16 years. Ever since my daughter was a baby.They come in and do an investigation every single time they find nothing wrong close my file and within 6 months are back again.How is it that they can accuse you of child abuse over and over then close your file then show up again over the same thing.Do we as parents not have any rights.Childrens aid say they are there to help families stay together but anymore the only thing they ever do is try to take your kids your kids away from you.They go into courts lie to judges lie to there supervisors and get away with it.I agree that they need someone to go in and go over these cases.Half of the kids in care would be returned.
The child protection agencies need to be over seen by another agency to ensure their actions are proper and do indeed truely benefit our children and not just their agency. Children need the best and they are not receiving that from these agencies, in fact they are being molested, abused and suffer for the rest of their life due to the negligence of child protection agencies.
I am in a current legal issue with children services. They are vilolating my constitionial rights. They are using the divide and conguer method. also We have a special needs hendicap child that they are oversteping parens rights. I am making this brief and further details to come. I am going to the media with this. also someone needs to develop a website with signatures to go to the president with.
yes
I think single parents, who, do not currently have the knowledge or the funds to hire and pay for a professional advocate to protect their rights, should be protected by a public advocate, such as, the Ombudsman.
The actions of the Children's Aid right now are totally out of control and the costs are out of this world. This organzation is out of control and needs many changes before the law suits start to fly in Ontario!!!!
I would definitely like to be involved in any way possible.
I don't believe I have a local group. If I did, I would definitely like to be contacted.
My family has been harassed by cas for 6 years since my son was 8 months old,all false accusation to do with my husband and drug abuse they have done drug test and they are negative results.We just got rid of them and once again they are involved for aggelagations of child abuse,now my husband has been charged with assault and not allowed his children.This is emotially hard for all of us and they didnt even have the nerve to call me i had to call them to find out when she is coming to my house.I HATE CAS AND THEY NEED TO STOP WITH THE HARRASSEMENT
My family has been phoning Children's Aid on numerous occassions for the assault and mistreatment of my niece and nephew. Their mother is constantly screaming, swearing, drinking and doing drugs infront of her children. She recently kicked my nephew and all of this was reported to Children's Aid and they did nothing. They treated my brother like a criminal when he went in to ask for his file and stated they felt the children were in no danger what-so-ever. This was until they heard the voice recording of his ex on my brother's phone. There faces dropped and they walked away. They brushed my mother off and wouldn't even look at her when she spoke to them. They have completely ignored all of our phone calls and have done nothing to provide a safe environment for my niece and nephew. It is completely frustrating when you phone them and they say they will look in to something and they don't even phone you back. What kind of company is this? They are a joke in my eyes. You have to be physically beating your child on the street with hundreds of witnesses before they will even consider taking the kids out of an unsafe environment. Even then they will probably have some kind of excuse. Personally they make me sick. I can't wait to sue them for damages to my family. I am hoping we will finally get our revenge and they will get what they deserve. They ALLOW children to be abused and DO NOTHING. WOW.
Last June my son and I were falsely accused of sexually touching my granddaughter (my son's daughter). His ex was angry because my son was moving in with his new girlfriend. Children's Aid told us that we could no longer have access to the children until it was resolved. Six weeks later, he was again allowed access as all the allegations were proved false. No apology from CAS who told us "stay away from the children or we will issue an order to keep you away". We survived that humiliation and the ex apologized to my son for lying. How can we prove it? Her word against his. Two weeks ago, the ex kicked my two year old grandson and today CAS told us that there are "no concerns for the safety" of my grandchildren. She lied again and is saying that my son attacked her. She was charged and arrested by the police for assaulting my son. The hearing for my grandson's assault is in four weeks, the quickest court date we could arrange with the Justice of the Peace. CAS has left the children in her care stating there are "no concerns".
No
For my adopted Peruvian daughter "Sofia"
Myself and my childern have been harrassed on and off for the past NINE YEARS !! and EVERY CALL HAS TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE ! I am soo sick of it,I swear thats is there goal to emotionally tear one to pieces then before you know it "they are'nt emotionally able to parent their own childern" it seems that as soon as you settle everything down and reassure your kids that all is o/k THEY COME BACK LIKE DIRTY LITTLE MEGETTS!!! I HATE C.A.S. with the passion! It sickens me to know that these people get away with soo much and yet we still have poverty, rape, murders, abuse etc.etc. It really makes me wonder do they get paid with every child they steal from their happy famliy? You like comission? And what about all those poor childern out there that really can use their help the childern who do get abused everyday ? I am just soo sick of being abused and feeling like theres nothing really I can do because my husband and I can't afford a lawyer and they know it.Its funny you never hear of wealthy ppl being harrassed mmmmmmm.... I wonder why??? I tell ya I do play the lottery and I think if I was ever to win - THAT would be the FIRST THINGS I would spent my money on A LAWYER A DAMN GOOD LAWYER!!! it would be like winning the lottery twice !!!
I am a Foster Parent in Ontario and I fully support Bill 93 and the Ombudsmans Oversight of the children's Aid Society.
Sure
our local CAS put me through an emotional rape. They need to be put in there place once and for all.
2.5 years ago after leaving an abusive ex, CAS told me that my daughter would remain in the care of her father who was verbally abusive to her. no matter how many times I tried to explain this the worker only stated that it was only until she was 16. no plan of care or court order was ever in place. recently they placed a kinship order and now supervision order for the step-mom to have custody (so to speak) who my daughter's father is no longer with. I own my home in NB after moving her from ON to give us a better life. I have never signed papers of any form. the worker is a friend of my daughter's step-mom. the worker has never tried to reintegrate my child but keeps threatening me with the police if I try to take her with me.
Hello, I hve been harassed by CAS since last year. They started to trick me by saying they will work with me and my son s school dn give the best help my son needs, they trick me to signing forms after forms after forms. They have been on my nerve since 2008. They told me I can nto move out of my city, then my son can not move out of his school after all they did to my son! My son is just a little boy like any other boy but they have been treated him really bad at school. They put him in a room away from other kids, he had no right to play with other kids. then they did nto let him go to grade two and they have been teaching him grade one! I decided to home school my son. He is a very intelligent boy but since then Chidlren aide is telling me that I have mental problems! They could nto find any thing against me! They just keep saying I have mental problems!!!! My son hates his school and this social worker at CAS! They ahve been playing really stupid games with us! I tried to go to the court to sue them but a lawyer told me I can nto sue any one at CAS! How come they can take us to the court even without any evidences btu we can nto fight back! I am sick and tired of their stuid mind games! They are not here to help children, theyare here to destroy lives of these little ones! We ahd a very normal nice life together till they showed u at our door. I never used drugs, I dont abuse my son, I have no criminal records. I am an excellent mother eveyr body knows that! I never beat my son! I am so sick of them abusing their powers all thetime! Family have to be given more rights! Why can not we sue the children aide, tht si just stupid~!
Okay
i lost my firstborn son because of the children's aid society. the worker i had lied to me and other's around me constantly. i was basically blackmailed into giving him up for adoption. i had told them that he had severe a.d.h.d. but she said it was all my fault because i was a bad mother, which i was not. he was adopted by a couple who knew his father, whom i'd left long before. he was an alcoholic. his adoptive mother told him that if he ever wanted to meet his father he would find him in a certain bar, drunk. she also told him that his father wouldn't want to see him anyway. i thought that adoptive parents weren't allowed to know either of the birth parents. they were so abusive that he ran away from them at 14 and lived on the streets. oh, and i called a month or two after i'd signed the papers, and his foster mother told me that he'd been evaluated for a.d.h.d. right after i had, and i was right, he had a severe case. and now, after helping the doctor deliver my grandson, the c.a.s. walked into the hospital, with police, and took him away. they had no reason to do this. he was born on september 14th, 2009, and they still don't have him back (it's now january 10th 2010. their worker keeps extending their contract without them signing anything.
yes
Cas has been called on my house even thought the calls were found to be false they still try to find a reason to stay around. My husband has lost his 2 children before me for no reason but he was in jail. the mother lost them, even thought h was in jail they give them up for adoption but no before giving the mother an other chance but didn't give my husband no chances,In fact his last son was in foster care the lasted we hared back in 2005 , they wouldn't give us any rights and he has seen been adopted but we have no papers on that.
please keep me informed
I agree something has to be done about CAS but there are many times where the workers are invloved long term with families and become attached and can no longer see the big picture, I know of a worker involved with a family for 18 mos and actually smoked pot with her clients. teh children were being emotionally and physically abused in the home and at one point the child was struck across the face by the mother and the CAS worker told her that a spank ont he bottom would be better. but in another home a woman screamed at her children and they were taken from her and placed in foster care until the mother finished a parenting course and anger management... who is watching CAS??? its not there supervisors, there needs to be better management of the workers,
/when the cas has more power than parents and the government, something is drastically wrong. I am a loving, responsible grandparent that went from five days a week seeing the boys, to no contact or visitation. the workers involved have no clue because they DON'T HAVE CHILDREN!!! My grandsons were given to foster care then my daughters ex, who is not their father. custody was given to him and his internet girlfriend of 4 months. The boys were in a loving, familiar and safe environment. Now they are with non custodial parents! CAS has not returned calls in months. They have to be stopped.
I'm doing this because I have 2 teens that I worry about everyday when they are alone out in this world and want to make sure that I make the right decisions
I have a recent run in with CAS and in my opinion they need someone to show them that they cant do what ever they want
oh yes
im involved with cas and they have caused trobel in my and my sons life since he was born, we got home from the hospital and they were at the door not even an half hr later, like come on people this is brutal.
I support the entire contents of this petition!
This is a very screwed up service that they have for the children what about the damage that is done to them when torn apart from there parents...WERE IS THE JUSTICE
This whole story was so very tragic and sickening. I am a professional health care worker and as such am always an advocate for those in my care. How can a "professional" social worker not see and deal with the glaringly obvious signs that things were NOT ALRIGHT to say the least in the home where Jeffery Baldwin was imprisoned, malnourished and so abused??? I myself was a ward of the CAS out of St. Thomas, Ontario and lived in 2 foster homes. I was emotionally and financially abused. Yes, people who take in kids for fostering do it for the money and the glory!!! Foster kids already are dealing with abandonment to begin with, the least the social workers should do is the assure that the homes these kids are placed in are safe and the foster parents have the right motives. There are likely other foster parents that would gladly take them in and love them and provide for their needs. If the child's mother is unfit, doesn't it follow that her mother would also be unfit??? It is so utterly negligent of the CAS to put Jeffery with his abusive, money grabbing grandparents!!!!
yes
I myself have been a victim of cas harassment. and i know many others who have been as well. it's about time something is done about it
i believe CAS is sometimes to intrusive and needs to be investigated. some cases are legitimate however due to my own experiences and those close to me there are some obvious people that should have no involvement with thesociety.
please contact me i would like some advice
Children require care and if an agency claims to be supporting that it should be willing to be held accountable for the decisions it makes.
I find it disturbing that The Children's Aid frequently criticize third party agencies and Clinical Support Workers; meanwhile they overlook household inadequacies and clear cases of children neglected or children's monies being pocketed. It's high time that Children's Aid are forced to do their job. Sure there are cuts, however that affects every social service so I have not sympathy nor do I accept that explanation as sufficient.
This is disgusting!
There are many, many wonderful foster families and social workers involved in the Children's aid society but unfortunately there are members of this over taxed organization who have no business being a part of it. These criminals hide within and are protected by the system and it must stop. For the sake of children who have, through no fault of their own, already been victimized by society we must band together and demand a system that truly does protect and foster the safety and security of these precious children. Elizabeth Runciman
Let's make the difference
