NELSON DAILY NEWS: We need review of Community Living B.C

“We need review of Community Living B.C” is an editorial which originally ran in the Victoria Times Colonist -- today it also was printed as an editorial in the Nelson Daily News.

What does the editorial have to say?  It calls for the provincial government to have an “independent review” of Community Living BC.  Here are a few of the points they make:

“The provincial government's stubborn refusal to accept the need for an independent review of community Living B.C. is unfair to the agency, those depending on it for services, and their families….

… government's credibility on this file has been compromised. The former minister, CLBC board and managers, for example, all insisted that people were not being forced from long-time group homes against their will.  That was false….

… significant problems… lack of training … poor oversight and failures to provide homeshare operators with needed information … potentially dangerous incidents as a result, and a series of "crisis situations.  The review, done by a consultant for CLBC, found that it was impossible to determine if basic checks had been done to screen prospective homeshare providers…

 … the worrying homeshare report confirms, once again, that such a review is badly needed …"

The ONLY way this review will take place is if elected representatives of the government, including Kamloops North Thompson MLA Terry Lake and Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger, call on Premier Christy Clark to do so.  Kevin Krueger is my MLA, and so this morning at 10:25am I emailed this brief letter to him: 

Dear Kevin...

As a 'representative of the people who elected you' in Kamloops South Thompson (and not a representative of the government), are you prepared to stand up for those who are dependent on Community Living BC to provide them with help and support?

Will you add your voice to those calling for a review of this agency?

Sincerely,

Alan Forseth
one of your constituents)

To tell you the truth, I don’t have a lot of hope on this as the last time I tried to engage him on an issue was a year and a half ago.  That was regarding the HST, and how it was unfairly discriminating against some people … he chose not to get back to me.

Regardless, if you are in the Kamloops South Thompson riding I would encourage you to send him a letter or email as well – here is his contact information:

MLA Kevin Krueger, Kamloops South Thompson  

#9-111 Oriole Road, Kamloops, BC   V2C 4N6

Tel: (250) 314-6031          Fax: (250) 314-6040

Email: kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca

For those of you in other locations of the province, the Legislative Assembly of BC website has an MLA finder page which is located at http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm.  Why not take a brief moment to email your MLA and let them know you want them to call on Christy Clark to hold a review as well??

I‘m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative on this round ball we call planet earth.


FOLLOW-UP TO THIS STORY:

Credit should be given where credit is due, and I would like to let you know I have received a response from my MLA Kevin Kruger.  His reply was as follows:

From: Kevin.Krueger.MLA@leg.bc.ca

To: alfman55@hotmail.com

Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:38:10 -0700

Subject: RE: Community Living BC

Thanks Alan,

CLBC is undergoing a review presently.

I have many constituents who have enjoyed harmonious relationships and good service with CLBC for many years.

From time to time I do problem-solving for individual constituents with CLBC, and all have been resolved satisfactorily over the years.

With every good wish, Kevin

I light of his reply, I have emailed this follow-up, which I will now wait for a response to:

Thank you for your prompt reply Kevin ...

I am glad you have been able to resolve issues that have arisen for area constituents with CLBC -- it does sound however like there are many in other areas of the province who are not getting the service they require however.  In light of that, can you tell me if the current review of CLBC is an independent one, as has been called for??

 Thanks ... Alan Forseth

I'll keep you posted ... alan