Rhonda Gordon Powers, the communications manager for the beleaguered Northern Child and Family Services Authority, has resigned.
A fifth child agency probed
In the past week, Gordon Powers has been linked to a proposed ad campaign aimed at burnishing the authority's public image and discrediting journalists who question the state of Manitoba's child welfare system.
Rhonda Gordon Powers has resigned as communications manager of Northern Child and Family Services Authority.
"The Northern Authority is filled with people who are genuine and devoted to their work in ensuring our children are protected and receiving services to benefit them now and in their future," she wrote in an e-mail to me Friday morning.
"I feel that I failed them."
It was Gordon Powers who drafted a plan to spend $140,000 on three television public service announcements intended to counter the authority's critics. Free Press Ottawa bureau chief Mia Rabson and I were targeted for our series of stories on CFS agencies province-wide.
The investigation into devolution, children killed in care and First Nations child welfare agencies, Gordon Powers wrote, "released an onslaught of racial attitudes, qualifications of social workers in First Nations agencies were questioned." She wrote that the stories presented an image of "foster children removed from loving, capable non-native homes and returned to a life of violence and despair in the communities of origin, children placed with distantly related family members who wanted to exploit them for money."
When the draft proposal became public, Gordon Powers backtracked, first claiming the ads were going to be made at lesser expense and then suggesting they might not be made at all.
She insisted the purpose of the PSAs was not to denounce journalists, but instead to present First Nations families and children as worthy individuals.
Yesterday afternoon, Family Services minister Gord Mackintosh confirmed his department sent a letter to the Northern Authority advising that it was inappropriate to use provincial money for the ads.
"The money should be spent on care and good management," he said.
On Thursday, Mackintosh revealed that Cree Nation Child and Family Caring Agency, which operates under the Northern Authority, is under investigation by Ottawa and the province for questionable financial practices.
The irregularities include a $30,000 van bought for executive director Linda Constant in lieu of salary increases over the next three years.
There are now five child welfare reviews underway in the province.
Attention should now turn to those in the provincial government who knew that travel at Cree Nation was suspended in January, making visits to children in foster care near-impossible.
Someone other than Gordon Powers knew that Linda Constant was given a $30,000 van. Surely it occurred to someone that $10,000 annual increases would be considered absurd in most workplaces.
They're obscene in a financially challenged child welfare system.
Yesterday, Mackintosh said the five reviews are evidence that First Nations authorities are cleaning house and ushering in a new era of accountability and responsibilty.
"Some adults do terrible enough things to children without the funds intended for those children being misused," he said.
"The authorities are taking allegations that are being raised seriously now, it seems."
It's about time. The era of devolved child welfare authorities behaving like they're operating without rules has to stop.
It shouldn't have been allowed to begin in the first place.
Devolution happened too quickly and without adequate resources for fledgling agencies. The price paid has included the death of children in care.
The buck ultimately stops in Mackintosh's office. He's feeling optimistic that, after considerable growing pains, the authorities are living up to their mandates and moving efficiently into the future.
Rhonda Gordon Powers' resignation indicates it's too early to relax the vigilance.
lindor.reynolds@freepress.mb.ca
Chief Executive Officer
First Nations of Northern Manitoba Child
and Family Services Authority
Dear Ms. Mckay
I am in receipt of a draft proposal from the Northern Authority to its agencies seeking financial support for the development and broadcasting of public service announcements "over the realities of First Nations people."
I am writing to advise you that all funds provided to your Authority and to its agencies under The Child and Family Services Act and The Child and Family Services Authorities Act are to be used solely for the protection of children and to promote the safety and well-being of children and their families. Advertisements such as those proposed do not meet these criteria and provincial funds provided by Manitoba Family Services and Housing cannot be used for purposes such as these.
Public Service Announcements that relate directly to the mandate of the Authority to provide services to Northern First Nations children and their families, for example, campaigns to recruit foster parents or encouraging people to report abuse, would be acceptable and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with you.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Loeppky
A/Assistant Deputy Minister
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