Children's Minister Responds to Tyee Report on 'Luxury' Spending

[Yesterday, The Tyee published a story detailing various credit card transactions of the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development, including purchases at golf and country clubs, spa resorts and five-star hotels, and bills for helicopter rides and gourmet chocolates. The story included the responses of advocates to the publicly disclosed transactions, including one from the province's Representative for Children and Youth, who said the expenses merited review.

The Tyee asked for an interview with Minister Stephanie Cadieux for her perspective before publication, but the minister was unavailable, and a spokesperson instead supplied responses to questions, which were included in the story. Yesterday, after the story was published, the minister sent a letter to the editor with her perspective. We publish it in full here.]

For readers who saw David Ball's July 22 column about expenditures for "luxury" items at the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), it is important to note that every purchase that ministry staff make must be pre-approved by their delegated spending authority. Ministry financial staff also review all transactions and follow up on any expense that seems unusual.

MCFD's purchase card transactions can be easily explained and supported. For example, charges at Amazon are for reference books, youth milestone gifts, program supplies and office materials; charges at Netflix are for the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre for videos/documentaries; charges at golf courses include events for foster parents, including pre-service orientation and offsite meetings; charges at hotels and resorts are typically for meeting venues and for accommodations for clients and families who need to travel to receive specialized supports and services.

In addition to regular business expenses, such as travel, training, meetings and supplies, it is very important for MCFD to acknowledge staff and foster parents for their dedication and commitment to caring for the province's most vulnerable children and youth.

Showing our support for foster parents and children and youth -- who by no fault of their own are in the care of the government -- is most often done through hosting appreciation events, providing gift cards for necessary items like clothing and groceries, and by ensuring that Aboriginal children and youth in care have the opportunity to celebrate and stay connected to their culture through drumming and other ceremonies.

There are more than 8,200 children and youth in the care of the ministry, and approximately 3,200 foster families who have stepped up across the province to help care for them. The ministry also has more than 4,500 staff who work tirelessly every day to make a difference. When you look at these numbers, the amount the ministry spends each year on recognition is not out of the ordinary.

Vulnerable children, youth and their families are the ministry's top priority and we will continue to support our clients, and our staff, while at the same time ensuring that our budget is used appropriately and according to our strict guidelines.

Original Article
Source: thetyee.ca/
Author:  Stephanie Cadieux