MOMS rejects Premier’s internal probe of CLBC as attempted cover-up
MEDIA RELEASE: October 19, 2011 - For immediate release
VANCOUVER: In the BC Legislature today, Premier Christy Clark acknowledged "big" problems in the managment of Community Living BC (CLBC)and said an internal audit is under way. Minister Stephanie Cadieux described this as a "rigorous," serious investigation.
But at a meeting with Minister Cadieux just last week, MOMS asked the Minister when we could expect to see the results of this internal review. The Minister stated that this is the annual budget planning report that the Ministry produces for the Treasury Board, and, as a Treasury Board document, that report or its contents could never be made public.
MOMS stressed to the Minister that an internal audit undertaken by the same officials responsible for CLBC's serious failures would NOT restore public confidence in the troubled agency.
A secret internal report that will never see the light of day will not shed light on the very serious abuses and failures that are reported to have taken place, it will not hold those responsible for CLBC's failures accountable and it will not provide solid footing to move forward with positive solutions.
Many families will view the Premier's internal investigation as simply an attempt to cover up her government's failures. For 15 months, MOMS has been urging the Premier, the Minister and their numerous predecessors to take urgent action to address the troubling complaints that families have been bringing forward through our provincial family support network. For months, the Premier and the minister responsible for CLBC sought to dismiss many of these disturbing complaints. They refused to acknowledge the growing crisis or to take action to prevent or to stop the appalling treatment of people with developmental disabilities and their families.
MOMS again calls on Premier Christy Clark and Minister Stephanie Cadieux to start listening to families, to start listening to community leaders, to start listening to members of the BC Legislature from across the political spectrum, and to immediately appoint a credible, independent reviewer to conduct a complete "top to bottom" review of CLBC, with the results of that review to be made fully public.
We believe this is the only way to start the process of restoring confidence in CLBC and moving forward on developing positive solutions in partnership with families and community leaders.
Families are the major partners in community living and provide the great majority of the lifetime care and support for adults with developmental disabilities in British Columbia. Community living is supposed to be a partnership with families but BC families have been shut out, ignored, abused and/or disrespected by CLBC and its political masters.
Dawn Steele and Cyndi Gerlach
MOMS on the Move
Media contact: Dawn Steele: dawns@telus.net 604 874-1416
-30-
October 19th, 2011 - 16:15
hi dawn i am in support but can your group say self advocates on one of the stakeholders to we are the user two we need to be same playing field in your messenges about this crises cause we part of this to self advocates with a disability needs to anowledged as well we do alot work in this field advocating not just parents i always seen messenges just families not include self advocates i just saying it needs to be said as well in your media messenges to the media same as bcacl same as others to self advocates are the ones that always last to know anything voices heard concerns about our services we recieve we may not have money that powers a messenge but we are stakeholders in this please respond thankyou
October 19th, 2011 - 16:42
Good point, Bryce – the efforts of self-advocates have been critical to drawing the attention of the public, the media and political representatives to this crisis. We also need to remind everyone that the MOMS network consists of a lot more than concerned moms! The dads, siblings, friends, self-advocates, caregivers and ordinary citizens all play an equally important role in our collective advocacy!
October 19th, 2011 - 21:03
Thanks dawn I just feel that we are important to say self advocates so that
It be on same playing field we work hard to have to heard same as families
But differents is not having money to have our messenge to be heard it great that moms on move doing good job we also trying to get both ndp and the govt to recognize our value say self advocates it is important to us crises clbc I know cause was on original board we did not want these cuts going in to create clbc I wish you guys can start saying self advocates families that are advocating for same level so please respond thanks