YOUNGSON: Can it get any more bizarre?

by Linda D Youngson
Halifax, NS


For five years now I have been watching Children’s Services / Children’s Aid and their antics in and out of court. The antics get more and more bizarre not less so.

Let me just run through a few prime characters right now: Justice Debra Smith, Minister of Community Services David Morse, Senior Director of Family and Children Services George Savoury, Minister of Justice Mr. Baker, the superintendent of the Correctional Facility in Dartmouth Sean Kelly, and Gen. George Armstrong Custer.

Continually , Justice Debra Smith set herself up as a self-proclaimed psychologist with her numerous declarations of Carline’s unstable mental state despite the fact that Carline had not submitted to any assessment. Since when did a position on the bench give one the right to diagnose parents and other assorted victims? The health care providers had better watch out! If this precedent is allowed to continue, the present health care providers may find their position in the family court system redundant and their lucrative contracts with the provincial government nonexistent.

I also saw Justice Smith doing the job of the crown prosecutors in Carlin and Larry’s criminal court case . Except that it was such a travesty of justice it would have been quite the comedy. The two crowns were stretched back on their chairs, legs fully extended, twirling around to lock heads every once in a while to exchange a comment or a chuckle between them as the justice raised the objections and basically did their job for them. What an easy way to make a buck . . .or 2 . . .or more , a whole lot more - So how much did those 2 get for all their trouble anyhow?

And please tell me how can it NOT be considered a conflict of interest when the same justice, Justice Debra Smith, who presided over Carline and Larry’s family court case, was also appointed to preside over the constitutional challenge court case brought forward by the same couple while the family court case was still before her? And please understand, it was apparent to all that the outcome of one case was directly related to the other.

And the poor Minister of Community Services - whose puppet are you anyway? A small article appeared in the paper declaring that for five years the Minister of Community Services, David Morse, has been unable to find anyone to “come out and play with him”- to be part of the committee he is mandated by law to set up on an annual basis to review the Children and Family Services Act (Some say he has not done this since 1999 but, in fact, it has been since 1993 that this committee reported back on the Children and Family Services Act, as mandated)

To add to this comedy, this news article stated that the minister suggested that if the NDP MLA Graham Steele “wants to do something constructive” that Steele should do his job for him and send people his way. How interesting that since the appearance of this article, Steele has been swamped by calls to his office by people clamoring to be on this committee. Sorry David, I guess you get picked last - again.

Then George Savoury, senior director of Family and Children Services says we do not need a committee on an annual basis - Is he saying here that he does not have to abide by the law? Section 88 of the Children and Family Services Act, clearly states that the Minister “shall” set up this committee on an “annual” basis. Since when does this government have the license to set themselves up above the law? How can the government go around accusing good parent of breaking the law when they habitually do so themselves? I assure you that it is more than section 88 of the Children and Family Services Act that is being ignored by this government.

Then Mr Baker, minister of justice, while practicing the duck and cover protective strategy, sent out a spokesperson , Richard Perry, to tell the media that “for all intents and purposes” a court case is an inquiry! Huh? What idiot appointed this man as our justice minister - a man who cannot tell a court case from an inquiry? Tell that to Gomery!

And since when did Sean Kelly , the superintendent of the Correctional Facility in Dartmouth pass the bar and become lawyer to Larry and Carline by stating to the media “The issue is in relation to not feeling it’s in their best interest at the time to speak to the media” I am well informed that both Carline and Larry desperately want to speak to the media and that all requested visits and communications with the media have been continually denied.

And also ask, when has it become acceptable behavior for the court security to ruff up self-representing parents? I, myself, witnessed this during a court appearance before Justice Smith. It was at the end of the day and totally unprovoked. While a number of court observers looked on in horror, a court security person tackled Carline pinning her between the wall and the floor. Justice Smith stopped to view this for a couple of seconds then, without saying a word, she turned on her heels and disappeared into her chamber.

And today, another most bizarre occurrence: all the stories concerning Carline and Larry during the past 2 days were pulled from the Halifax Chronicle Herald web site - replaced by a story concerning Gen. George Armstrong Custer’s last stand.

Is this prophetic or what? I hope so ! After ruthlessly killing innocent men, women, and children , Custer came to the end he deserved at the battle of the Little Bighorn.

May the ruthless system that is destroying the precious families in our province come to an abrupt end as well - replaced by a system that truly believes in families, the best interest of the child - and the LAW!


Linda D Youngson