Press Releases 2006

LETTER to

December 6, 2006

Martin McNamara             

Executive Director

Children's Aid Society

Of York Region

85 Eagle Street West

Box 358

Newmarket , ON L3Y 4X7

Dear Mr McNamara,

Re: York CAS statement on the Auditor General's Report

I acknowledge your email of December 5 th in which you provide a statement on behalf of the York Region Children's Aid Society in response to the Auditor General's Annual Report that was released yesterday.

While I appreciate your initiative in providing your assurance that steps have already been taken to address the shortcomings brought to your attention by the Auditor General, I am concerned that the integrity of the York Region CAS continues to remain in question for the following reasons:

•  While you admit that York Region CAS has indeed "failed in some areas," at the same time you provide no disclosure as to which of the several failures cited by the Auditor General occurred in York Region CAS. Given the serious nature of many of the Auditor General's revelations, it is imperative that there be full, public and transparent disclosure of the specific failures in the York Region CAS identified by the Auditor General, together with a detailed report of the steps now being taken to address those areas of concern. In the absence of such full disclosure, there is no basis on which York Region CAS may claim innocence from the lengthy list of highly offensive fiscal and other abuses listed in the Auditor General's Report.

•  You indicate in your email that York Region CAS was cited in the audit for "good practices." In my reading of the report, I found no such reference for York Region CAS and I would appreciate your assistance in confirming such a citation. This will prove helpful to me, and will also help to shore up public confidence in York Region CAS.

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and the members of the York Region CAS Board of Directors at your earliest possible convenience to review the Auditor's Report as it relates specifically to York Region CAS. It is imperative that I be able to respond to public inquiries raised by the Auditor General relating to what is viewed by many as unconscionable conduct and gross mismanagement of public funds.

I would like to be in a position to provide not only factual information to my constituents concerning the state of York Region CAS, but also the assurance that the child welfare responsibilities of the York Region CAS are now being administered responsibly, both fiscally and morally.

Thank you for sharing your statement with me and I look forward to our meeting in the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by:

Frank Klees, MPP

Oak Ridges

CC Julia Munro, MPP

York North

PC Community & Social Services Critic

Auditor General Report

© 2008 Frank Klees, M.P.P. All Rights Reserved