October 13, 2006


Dear Ontario MPP's,

Defence for Children International-Canada (DCI-Canada) urges you to ensure that Premier Dalton McGuinty keeps his promise to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate.

Most Canadian provinces, and most jurisdictions in the first world, have a Children's Advocate. The purpose of these offices, generally, is to protect the rights of children and youth in the care of the government by informing young people of their rights, receiving and responding to complaints from young people, and investigating problems in the child and youth service system. In most jurisdictions the Children's Advocate is an officer of the Legislature, with the independence, freedom and powers to investigate and report on government actions without interference from the government.

Ontario's Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy (OCFSA) was the first Children's Advocate office established in Canada. By all accounts the OCFSA does excellent work to safeguard the rights of children and youth in state care in Ontario. However, unlike its counterparts in other provinces, the OCFSA is not an independent office of the Legislature. The OCFSA does not have the authority to make reports to the Legislature. It does not have formal investigative powers. The OCFSA does not even have its own web site.

In June 2003, DCI-Canada released a report calling on the Government of Ontario to pass legislation to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Leaders of all three parties in the Legislature expressed support for this proposal. In particular, then-Opposition Leader Dalton McGuinty announced that a Liberal government would pass legislation to establish a Child and Youth Advocate as an independent officer of the Legislature.

This promise was later affirmed by then-Minister of Children and Youth Services, Marie Bountrogianni. In a news release on March 8, 2005, Minister Bountrogianni announced: “The McGuinty government will introduce legislation this spring that, if passed, would better protect the interests of vulnerable children and youth by establishing an independent child advocate in Ontario…”


The current Minister of Children and Youth Services, Mary Anne Chambers, re-affirmed the government's commitment to this promise during her September 14, 2006 appearance before the Standing Committee on Estimates. When asked about the government's commitment to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate, Minister Chambers stated: “We do remain committed to doing that.”

The promised legislation has still not been introduced. With less than one year left in this term of government, we now face the risk that legislation to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate will not pass before the next election. This is unacceptable.

The promise to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate is not controversial. A wide range of community groups, agencies and individuals across Ontario support the creation of an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Also, there is general agreement among all three parties in the Legislature that this legislation is needed. Perhaps the only thing blocking the fulfillment of this promise is a lack of political will. You have the power to help change that.

We urge you to take action to ensure that the Liberal government keeps its promise to establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Please make sure the Premier knows that this promise is important to you, and even more important to the children and youth in your riding.

Children and youth in Ontario have waited long enough for an Advocate with appropriate powers and independence. It is time for our political leaders to demonstrate their commitment to the rights of children.

If you require further information please contact Matthew Geigen-Miller, a DCI-Canada board member and our lead researcher on this issue. Matthew may be reached by e-mail: matthew@dci-canada.org.

Yours sincerely,