MOMs petition marks Children’s Day
PRESS RELEASE :
MOMs marks Children’s Day, 20 th year of UN Convention, with petition urging BC Premier to honour promises to kids
NOV. 19, 2009: —This Friday, Nov. 20 marks the 20 th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child – a date that is also celebrated annually in Canada and elsewhere as universal Children’s Day.
The MOMs provincial family support network, which has staged a series of actions in recent weeks to draw attention to BC families’ concerns about new cuts and ongoing gaps in critical services for children at risk, is marking the occasion by officially launching an online petition urging BC’s Premier to start living up to commitments made to BC’s vulnerable children.
Another week, another rally?
Families were out in the streets protesting against provincial autism policies again last week, this time in front of Premier Campbell's Point Grey constituency office in Vancouver. The rally was organized by FEAT BC (Families for Early Autism Treatment) along with the group Medicare for Autism and the ABA Support Network.
Thanks for the fabulous support!!
A beautiful sunrise in Victoria
Hi everyone,
What a great day and it's not even 10 am yet!
MOMs wants to thank everyone who came together and contributed in so many ways to making this a success and to helping us get the message out about the importance of putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to putting BC's vulnerable kids first. It truly was a province-wide team effort and we couldn't have done it without literally hundreds of people who all came together to make it happen!
Info Page: Provincial Day of Action
Everything you need to participate or check out MOMs actions around the province on October 28. The more groups and people who join us, the stronger message we send to Victoria, so please contact us at
[email protected]
if you wish to add another location or join one listed below!
If you can't make it in person, you can still participate by emailing a letter to Premier Campbell urging him to honour his promises to BC's children. Or call your MLA on Wednesday to express your support.
MOMS ACTION: Summary of cuts
Tell the BC government that investing in children is a top priority . (Deadline for 2010 Budget input: Oct. 23)
(Please distribute widely, with apologies for cross-postings!)
Vancouver, October 13, 2009
Premier Campbell's forgotten promise:
BC government's 2006 - 2009 Strategic Plan: 5 Great Goals for the Golden Decade:
Goal #3 : ' Build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, those with special needs, children at risk, and seniors.'
Three years later, the BC government has forgotten all about about Great Goal #3. We've seen no improvements in supports for children and youth with special needs. Existing systems are being dismantled and services cut, with no effort to resolve long-standing service gaps:
- Intensive intervention programs for autism axed, despite overwhelming need & evidence these programs work well & expert advice that direct funding is not an effective alternative for many.
- Parents who effectively manage autism funding forced to switch to Ministry-administered payments . This will create new problems, including delays and higher costs
- Provincial offices that provide direct services including oversight, coordination, training and standards for community Infant Development Programs and Aboriginal IDPs to be axed.
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Axing of the provincial Supported Child Care office, which was recently created to resolve problems from the lack of oversight, coordination, training & consistency in local SCC programs.
- URGENT NOTE : A month's notice won't allow SCC staff to properly transfer roles. Pls. urge govt to at least extend these roles to March 2010 to permit an orderly transition.