B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth released a troubling report last month questioning the practices of the Ministry of Children and Families.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s report, Fragile Lives, Fragmented Systems, is an aggregate review of the 21 deaths of infants known to the Ministry over a two year period, beginning in June 2007. The report documents the generational poverty, substance abuse, mental health issues, and domestic violence experienced in most of the cases, and points to the predictability these risk factors bring with them.

The report is another reminder of the inadequacies of our safety net for vulnerable families. The Representative for Children and Youth asserts “chronic, deep poverty… was the single largest risk factor” in the lives of the families in her review. Turpel Lafond notes, “As a group, these infants lived in serious poverty and inadequate housing. They lived in conditions that would be difficult for mainstream British Columbians to imagine...”

Incredibly, all 21 families were involved with the Ministry during or before the prenatal period, showing that the door was open to reach these families. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive approach to prenatal public health care in B.C.

My colleagues and I have been calling for comprehensive poverty reduction legislation with concrete targets and timelines, but so far the government has failed to respond. We must follow the lead of other provinces and territories with poverty reduction strategies and move forward to deal with poverty in B.C.

www.rcybc.ca/Images/PDFs/Reports/Fragile Lives - FINAL Jan 2011.pdf

Cell phone tower prompts meeting

A number of constituents have contacted me regarding a cell phone tower that has recently been erected on private property at McGill and Nanaimo. Neighbours in the area have let me know they are concerned about visual blight, the lack of local decision making, and possible health effects.

I have been in contact with both the City of Vancouver and Rogers Wireless and determined that because telecommunication in Canada is federally regulated, cell phone tower placement can be imposed in almost any neighbourhood without regard to local municipal land use and zoning requirements.

Fortunately, my federal counterpart, Vancouver East MP Libby Davies, has taken swift action on this issue, bringing these concerns to the attention of Industry Canada, Minister of Industry Tony Clement, and to Parliament.

Libby and I are co-hosting a community meeting Sunday, February 20, from 1-3 pm at Kiwassa Neighbourhood House to discuss further concerns and next steps to deal with this issue. I hope to see you there.

http://www.libbydavies.ca/parliament/openletter/2010/12/17/libby-expresses-her-concerns-about-dangers-cell-phone-towers

BC SPCA needs more support

Like the many constitue The SPCA receives no direct government funding nts who have contacted my office recently, I was horrified to hear of the cull of 100 healthy sled dogs in Whistler. A full investigation is now underway; I hope the provincial task force appointed to investigate the incident will recommend specific legislative changes to ensure better oversight of the sled dog industry, and better protection for all animals in our province.

The sad story also highlights the lack of resources available to animal cruelty protection services in B.C. Despite being the only organization with the provincially
legislated mandate to investigate animal cruelty, the B.C. Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) receives no direct government funding.

An annual grant to the society was cut in 2009, and gaming grants awarded to the BC SPCA have shrunk steadily since 2003. The society has not yet received gaming grant commitment beyond the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

We need to strengthen support for animal welfare and investigation, and increase the penalties for crimes against animals. My colleagues and I will be watching this case as it unfolds, and calling on government to move forward to ensure this type of tragedy never occurs again.

Visit www.spca.bc.ca to learn more about the BC SPCA.

Interim caucus leader announced

I am happy to announce that former federal MP Dawn Black, MLA for New  Westminster, has been elected interim leader of the opposition caucus. I know Dawn will keep the caucus focused and working hard on issues that matter to British  Columbians. I was honoured to be elected caucus chair, and I look forward to working with my caucus colleagues to build a better province for everyone. I would also like to congratulate Kathy Corrigan, MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake, who was elected deputy caucus chair, and Maurine Karagianis, MLA for Esquimalt-Royal Roads, who was elected caucus whip. Congratulations also to Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, who is now deputy whip.

Read the rest of my December newsletter by clicking on the pdf below: