Faded Love

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As part of it's recent and sweeping CoverYourAss effort, AARC has purged the long-standing endorsement from former Justice Minister Ron Stevens.  The statement cannot be read in full, but we certainly know he made it.

"Mr. Stevens, Hon. Member for Calgary-Glenmore, made a statement in
recognition of
Dr. Dean Vause, Executive Director, Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (
AARC),
a non-profit addiction treatment centre for youth with over 100 graduates
since its
inception in 1992 and a successful model of a long-term treatment program
for
chemically dependent youth"
http://www.assembly.ab.ca/Documents/isy ... /doc/#hit1
http://www.isaccorp.org/aarc/Endorsements.pdf

Now this tidbit is going to be important in establishing the clear conflict of interest Stevens had vis-a-vis AARC when he received a very specific complaint, outlining an array of problems in AARC's program, back in 2007.  Mr. Stevens refused to look into the program which he had endorsed in the Legislature, and which carried said endorsement, along with an image of the Provincial Coat of Arms, on it's website for years.  Fortunately, hard copies of Mr. Stevens responses, and the original complaint, are still in existence.  Upon receiving the complaint, Mr. Stevens insisted that Deputy Minister Paddy Meade was responsible for overseeing AARC.  Paddy Meade also refused to take even a cursory look at the deficiencies outlined in the original complaint.  When Ron Stevens was notified of M. Meade's refusal to take action, he again decined to look at the problems in AARC.  Here is the current Mission Statement for the Attorney General:  

"To protect the rights of all individuals in Alberta and advance the interests of society by fostering: safe communities; access to justice; respect for the law; understanding of and confidence in the justice system, and the legal foundation for social cohesion and economic prosperity"

Apparently the rights of the clients in AARC did not need protecting, and Mr. Stevens was not particuarly interested in fostering understanding of and confidence in the justice system in the case of AARC's ongoing use of unlawful confinement, unregulated foster homes, endangerment of children by placing them in the care of other high-risk children, the performance of Restricted Acts by unqualified, unlicensed amateurs, and the many other serious problems inherent in AARC's program.  Mr. Stevens lack of interest in looking at the AARC program did not, happily for AARC, preclude him attending AARC fundraisers and lauding AARC in the legislature.

[Anonymous]

My son said Stevens visited the program while he was there. That he's "friends" with Vause.

My son also has a letter of congratulations from Stevens and a few articles, like a case/organizer etc., embossed with "Ron Stevens MLA"

Over a year ago the minister's office said they do not endorse, regulate or monitor the program in any way, that there is no connection. (Stevens didn't write the LETTER of endorsement on AARC's website?? Sheesh!)

Interesting how the provincial court, and members of the provincial court (obviously a part of the ministry of justice), orders youth to AARC, holds youth at AARC, accepts AARC's assessments of youth, orders convicted individuals to pay fines up to at least $5000 TO AARC, and personally attend graduations at AARC, all with the Ministry not being "connected in any way".

Hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre in the Alberta  Legislature - Shortly after the 5th Estate Aired.


Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Alberta’s children and youth

are the most valuable and amongst our most vulnerable members of

society. I’m sure that the minister charged with the protection of

children and youth in Alberta has been informed of the disturbing

allegations of abuse raised by CBC’s The Fifth Estate program this

past Friday concerning the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre,

AARC, in Calgary. To the minister: if AARC is, in fact, a recipient

of government funding for the treatment of drug- and alcoholaddicted

children and youth in Alberta, how many hundreds of

thousands of public dollars has this private institute received?

The Speaker: The hon. minister.

2:10

Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did see the story that you

are referring to, and I have to say that it is concerning to hear those

kinds of allegations. It’s certainly my job to encourage people to

come forward with their allegations of abuse. I also want to say that

I’ve heard from many families who have used AARC after terrible

years and have seen some great success. I think the most important

thing is that in terms of AARC my department does not have any

capabilities or mandate to license nonresidential addiction treatment

centres, so you may want to direct your questions to health.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The end does not justify the

means.

Again to the minister: please explain if and how AARC, a

recipient of public funding, is licensed and monitored to ensure that

children and youth are safe and assure us that public dollars are

actually helping, not harming, children and youth. If you’re not able

to provide those answers, I would pass it to the minister of health.

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, I’ll answer that question. The Department

of Health and Wellness through the former AADAC agency

does provide funding to AARC. It receives about $300,000

annually. The service is accredited by the Canadian Accreditation

Council of Human Services.

I didn’t have the opportunity to see the particular production, but

I can tell you that you can talk to many people who have gone

through the program in Calgary, and I’m not so sure that they would

necessarily agree with this Mother Corp program out of Toronto.

Mr. Chase: I think you should be looking in the mirror at your own

accountability rather than the public broadcaster.

Will the Minister of Health and Wellness, whose superboard has

taken over for the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission,

reveal to Albertans what other unlicensed and unmonitored programs

his ministry funds with public dollars?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, I think what is important here is that the

member, who happens to be from Calgary, jumps on every opportunity

he can to criticize that city and the volunteers who do outstanding

work in that city. I will leave it up to him to not stand in this

House and make these comments. Go back to Calgary, go to the

AARC facility and make those comments in the AARC facility.

He’s pretty brave when he stands here, Mr. Speaker. I challenge him

to go right to Calgary, to the AARC facility, and make those

comments.

Read all of the minutes in the Legislative Assembly at:

http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.asp ... =doc&p=han


I dare Mr. Leipert to lock himself in a room with some AARC grads who aren't all sunshine and rainbows and make THOSE comments...