“Dalton McGuinty’s treatment of the children of our country’s armed forces has been exposed for what it is – absolutely disgraceful,” said Tory. “It is absolutely unbelievable that Dalton McGuinty turned his back on these children when their parents went to Afghanistan to fight for our country. He should be ashamed of himself and should apologize to the men and women of our armed forces.”

A backgrounder is attached detailing the Dalton McGuinty government’s complete abdication of responsibility for providing mental health care services for children of armed forces personnel. Dalton McGuinty’s Minister Mary Anne Chambers repeatedly refused to fund necessary mental health care services for those children even though it is a provincial responsibility

John Yakabuski, MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke where CFB Petawawa is located, said: “The only way Dalton McGuinty will take any action to help these children is because he’s been caught and embarrassed by the Ombudsman. That’s not strong leadership and not what this province and the community I represent deserve.”

PC Children and Youth Critic Lisa MacLeod said: “This could have been resolved months ago. The Phoenix Centre needs just over $200,000. That’s a drop in the bucket of the McGuinty Government’s $91 billion budget. It’s disgraceful that it took the Ombudsman’s report for them to act.”

Backgrounder

MCGUINTY SAID ‘NO’ TO ARMED FORCES CHILDREN UNTIL OMBUDSMAN STEPPED IN

Dalton McGuinty has failed the children of Canadian armed forces serving in Afghanistan. Instead of taking action, his Minister Mary Anne Chambers blamed the federal government and the government turned its back on these children. Here’s what she has said:

Mary Anne Chambers, Ontario's Minister of Children and Youth Services, said she is not willing to clean up the damage wrought by a federal venture. “It's a direct consequence of federal government initiatives,” she said. (Globe & Mail, March 1, 2007)

“The federal government needs to understand that the province of Ontario cannot pick up the tab for the impact of that effort on the families of military personnel,” she said in an interview. “We are simply not in a position to walk in and pick up that slack.” (Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 2007)

“…But Ms. Chambers said Wednesday the federal government should foot the bill for extra staff at the Phoenix Centre. She said the federal government bore responsibility for sending troops abroad on a dangerous mission to southern Afghanistan, adding money for families on the home front is just as vital as development aid abroad. Ms. Chambers also said the province had no money to spare without cutting from other children's agencies across Ontario.” (Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2007)

In an interview yesterday, Ms. Chambers said her government has no funds to clean up the damage wrought by a federal initiative. “It's only fair for them [the federal government] to look at the consequences of Canada's men and women serving abroad and what happens while they are away and also what could happen when they come back home,” she said. (Globe & Mail March 2, 2007)

“…During the current spat about CFB Petawawa, Mary Anne Chambers, the provincial Minister of Children and Youth Services, said the current budget for children's mental-health care stands at $467-million, up $38-million since the Liberals took office in 2004. That sounds impressive, but anyone with even a passing knowledge of these issues knows that figure is disingenuous. The entirety of the increase has gone to a single condition, autism.” (Andre Picard, Globe & Mail March 8, 2007)

The following is an exchange between John Yakabuski and Mary Anne Chambers in the Legislature during Question Period on March 21, 2007.

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Last September, you received an urgent appeal from Greg Lubimiv, the executive director of the Phoenix Centre for Children and Families in my riding, co-signed by Lieutenant Colonel Dave Rundle, the base commander of CFB Petawawa, looking for immediate special funding to deal with the burgeoning increase in the need for mental health services for children in and around the Petawawa base area as a result of the deployment in Afghanistan and the tremendous stress that was placing on families in that area.

Minister, you turned them down flat, citing your reasoning that it's the responsibility of the federal government to provide those services to families of the military. Subsequent communications from Greg Lubimiv indicated that you were wrong. The Ombudsman is now involved in this. You are wrong.

Why do you continue to victimize children in Renfrew county and around base Petawawa by denying this very, very important funding?

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): The Phoenix Centre in Renfrew county receives just short of $1.8 million per year, and with that has been serving approximately 1,400 kids with mental health challenges each year. In fact, they received some of the increase in funding that our government announced after we were elected, following 12 years of frozen funding for the children's mental health sector. That sector now is funded to the tune of $467.5 million, which represents a $38-million increase that they have received from our government.

There is more to be done in the children's mental health sector, but we have come a long way from the 12 years of frozen funding.

Mr. Yakabuski: It would appear that the minister does accept that it is a provincial responsibility to fund those programs, and that's a good admission by omission on your part, Minister.

The question is, why do you continue to victimize children? These are extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary times. This is not about playing games with Ottawa or looking to the past. This is an issue of real significance today. As a result of those military deployments, the mental health needs of children and families in Renfrew county are burgeoning under your watch, and you sit back and get into a tug-of-war with the federal government.

Will you commit to this House today, before the Ombudsman actually compels you to do so, to fund those very important programs and not let any more children fall between the cracks on your watch?

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: While the member from Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke has been blowing hot air on this subject, I have actually made the observation that these children of military men and women are in fact experiencing a heightened incidence of stress because of the military effort in Afghanistan, and that centre, which was totally under control until December 2005, specifically associated their increase in referrals and caseloads with that effort. So I'm very pleased that the federal government has heard my plea on behalf of those families and, according to the budget that was delivered on Monday, will be establishing centres to provide services for military families around this country. I'm surprised the member doesn't know that.