BY KEITH LACEY
The man in charge of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) in Greater Sudbury said steps are already in place to restore public confidence following a scathing auditor general’s report released Tuesday.
Executive director David Rivard said “it’s very unfortunate” all CAS branches have had their reputation tarnished because the report only audited four branches.
In the report, Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter alleged gross abuse of taxpayers’ money by the CAS through overspending on cars, business trips and lavish dinners by staff. The report suggested severe overspending within CAS branches in Ontario.
The annual report also said taxpayers paid for vacations, expensive vehicles and millions of dollars in unexplained expenses from public sector employees, including Ontario Power Generation workers, teachers and physicians.
The auditor general’s office conducted, for the first time, an intensive review of four CAS branches in southern Ontario and applied its findings to all branches across the province.
That’s unfair and unfortunate, said Rivard.
He’s in no position to argue against all the findings in the report, but suggesting all CAS workers are abusing taxpayers’ dollars isn’t fair, he said.
Rivard said the most serious accusations were workers spending dollars travelling with clients while placing them in safe homes, and the report contained sweeping generalizations without any proof of financial misappropriation.
“I don’t know all of the details, but I do know a lot of the information has been taken out of context,” he said.
“In southern Ontario, home placements can be made (by staff) without travelling long distances...but in the north those children being placed in homes in most communities can’t be sent alone and workers must accompany them and there are costs involved.
“Some politicians have taken the findings completely out of context and many don’t realize there are costs involved in having workers accompany children while placing them in care.”
Rivard and management from the Sudbury CAS are holding a press conference next Thursday to assure citizens their branch is not abusing taxpayers’ money, said Rivard.
Rivard said the auditor general’s report often makes sweeping statements and claims of overspending, which are often found to be grossly exaggerated.
“Typically, they send in these unexperienced young accountants with no experience in the child welfare system,” he said.
“They make their findings without any real explanations...for example, they will demand three quotes for any simple minor purchase. We could never operate properly if we had to meet those standards...then reports come out and suggest spending has gone wild.
“It’s often not an accurate portrayal, especially with the challenges we face here in Northern Ontario.”
Rivard said he’d take the report more seriously if it had more specific examples and proof of overspending.
There’s no allegations of any overspending in the Greater Sudbury office and ultimately that’s his biggest concern, he said.
While he can’t explain many of the findings, Rivard said it’s unfortunate the report was leaked “the same day” a new bill (Bill 210) was introduced to ensure increased accountability in the Family Services Act, which acts as a guideline for the CAS.
“The CAS has been working with the government for the last couple of years to make amendments to the system to ensure increased accountability. A lot of the criticisms put forward in the auditor general’s report are being specifically addressed with these changes,” he said.
The provincial government has also opened a new accountability office, which compels each of the province’s 53 CAS branches to forward a comprehensive report, including self-auditing practices, said Rivard.
“Every CAS in the province must complete the report and forward it to the province by the end of March,” said Rivard.
Others key allegations in the report:
- There are more almost 13 million OHIP cards in existence, which is 300,000 more than Ontario’s population.
- 725 doctors no longer licensed are still submitting claims to OHIP, including one who was paid for treating more than 300 patients.
- Two senior CAS executives in Toronto were given SUV’s, both worth more than $50,000.
- Luxury car washes worth $150 were charged to the CAS by managers.
- One CAS executive received a gym membership worth $2,000, plus $2,600 for a personal trainer.
- Visits to some children scheduled to be seen within a week were 21 days late, on average.
- Five members on one school board charged $114 each for dinner and the next night a group of eight charged $180 each, on average, all without receipts.
- Three senior school board staff traveled to Las Vegas for a four-day conference, but stayed seven days and charged $660 for a car rental, including gas.
- Another teacher spent $52,000 over two years using a school board purchasing card, including $4,000 during the summer holidays in 2005 and also purchased eyeglasses and Christmas lights.
