Letter: Island CAS office closure an opportunity

The executive director of the CAS Sudbury/Manitoulin announces that CAS is reducing its staff on Manitoulin and closing its office. To a point, this is a good news story.

After 20 years of Kina-Gbezhgomi advocating for stand-alone children’s services, it has finally come to fruition.

If you have personally had involvement with the CAS, several questions come up. Once First Nations do take over, they (Sudbury Manitoulin CAS) do not have an office here in our geographic location. The closest office is two hours away.

The CAS will be increasingly causing once again more stress to the family unit, even more than they currently do, by not being able to respond to parental visits that the court makes mandatory, along with so many other issues. Each worker will have two-hour travel time, court time, and increased costs.

I would hope our Member of Parliament works towards having Gbezhgomi children services take over the contract for the entire Manitoulin Island. Think about it, what a great happening that would be. Ask those who are affected by CAS issues.

With the reputation First Nation communities have for caring for their elders, that would indeed carry over to youth and the family unit, I think they would raise the bar many times over the current CAS. The current CAS, a private entity contracted by the government, is free of ombudsman oversight and accountability.

The Rainbow District School Board has recently hired four social workers who, without question, are better qualified and registered with the college of social service workers of Ontario, as required by law. Not all current CAS workers are registered, stating they are called child protection workers, even though they perform daily the duties of a social worker.

We can only hope and pray the First Nations will consider serving our needs here on Manitoulin. If staffing is an issue, they can hire the CAS staff currently employed, provided they upgrade their qualifications and register with the College of Social Workers. Let’s give it a try and place our trust with them.

We have a chance here to reach out and advocate for equality and strive for excellence.

Larry KillensSouth Baymouth