MPP KIM CRAITOR GETS IT DONE

FROM NIAGARA THIS WEEK
ARTICLE By Paul Forsyth Jan 26, 2007

'GUARDIAN ANGELS'
GET FINANCIAL RELIEF
SACRIFICES OF GRANDPARENTS WHO TAKE ON ROLE AS CAREGIVERS RECOGNIZED
NIAGARA FALLS
TWELVE YEARS AGO, BETTY CORNELIUS' GRANDDAUGHTER WAS LIVING A HELLISH EXISTENCE. ONLY AGED THREE AND A HALF, THE LITTLE GIRL HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, EXPOSED TO PORNOGRAPHY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED. "MY SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WERE LIVING IN A CAR SELLING DRUGS," CORNELIUS, OF BANCROFT, TOLD THIS WEEK. "WE WERE GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO GET CUSTODY. "WE WERE GOING TO SELL OUR HOUSE IF WE HAD TO." CORNELIUS AND HER HUSBAND LAUNCHED A LEGAL BATTLE TO GET THEIR GRANDDAUGHTER IN A SAFE HOME. THEIR SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OBTAINED A LEGAL AID LAWYER BUT THE GRANDPARENTS DIDN'T QUALIFY SO THEY HAD TO DIP INTO THEIR SAVINGS TO PAY FOR A LAWYER. THE STRESS COST CORNELIUS HER $65,000 A YEAR JOB. THE COUPLE RACKED UP $28,000 IN LEGAL BILLS, BUT FINALLY GOT CUSTODY. TUESDAY, CORNELIUS WAS ON HAND IN NIAGARA FALLS AS ONTARIO MINISTER OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES MARY ANNE CHAMBERS ANNOUNCED GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER RELATIVES OF CHILDREN FROM UNSAFE HOMES AND WHO ARE IN THE CARE OF A CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY (CAS) WILL NOW BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO $900 PER MONTH IN FUNDING FROM THE CAS. THE MONEY, WHICH MIRRORS WHAT UNRELATED FOSTER PARENTS RECEIVE, WILL BECOME AVAILABLE FEB. 6 FOR ELIGIBLE RELATIVES. "I WISH THIS HAD BEEN AVAILABLE 12 YEARS AGO," CORNELIUS SAID. "IF GRANDMA AND GRANDPA OR AUNTS AND UNCLES AREN'T THERE TO PICK UP THE PIECES, WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE TO DO IT?" CHAMBERS SAID KIDS LIVING IN UNSAFE HOMES SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE WITH GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER RELATIVES. BUT CORNELIUS SAID THE COST OF CARING FOR A GRANDCHILD MEANT UNTIL NOW MANY GRANDPARENTS -- MANY ON FIXED INCOMES -- SIMPLY COULDN'T AFFORD IT. A NUMBER OF GRANDPARENTS AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT ARE SURVIVING ON WELFARE PAYMENTS. CHAMBERS SAID THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD NOT IMPACT ONTARIO WORKS PAYMENTS THEY'RE RECEIVING. CHAMBERS SAID WITHOUT RELATIVES WILLING TO TAKE THEM IN, KIDS IN FOSTER CARE ARE BOUNCED TO A NEW FOSTER HOME EVERY 22 MONTHS ON AVERAGE. "I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITHSTAND THAT KIND OF INSTABILITY GROWING UP," SHE SAID. NIAGARA FALLS MPP KIM CRAITOR, WHO HAS ALSO INTRODUCED A PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL TO GUARANTEE GRANDPARENTS COURT-ORDERED VISITATION RIGHTS TO GRANDCHILDREN SO THE KIDS CAN'T BE USED AS PAWNS IN DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS, SAID THE NEW FUNDING WILL ALLOW MORE RELATIVES TO ADOPT OR BECOME GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN WHO WILL GROW UP IN SAFE, CARING HOMES. "THE QUALITY OF LIFE YOU PROVIDE TO THESE CHILDREN IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE," HE TOLD THE GRANDPARENTS. ST. CATHARINES MPP JIM BRADLEY, ONTARIO'S MINISTER OF TOURISM, SAID THE FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AFTER YEARS OF DETERMINED LOBBYING BY GRANDPARENTS. "I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY PERSISTENT IN THIS ROOM," HE SAID. CHAMBERS, MEANWHILE, TOLD THE GRANDPARENTS GATHERED SHE WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRIFICES THEY MAKE TO GIVE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN A LOVING HOME. "THANK YOU FOR BEING THEIR GUARDIAN ANGELS," SHE SAID.

MPP KIM CRAITOR GETS IT DONE

MPP Fights for Grandparents' Rights
FROM NIAGARA THIS WEEK
Eddie Chau 04/15/05

"NOBODY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY CHILDREN THE LOVE THEY DESERVE."
THAT WAS THE EMPHASIS NIAGARA FALLS MPP KIM CRAITOR PUT ON A NEW PRIVATE MEMBERS BILL HE UNVEILED AT THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AT QUEENS PARK IN TORONTO ON APRIL 13.
THE BILL, ENTITLED THE CHILDREN'S LAW REFORM ACT OF 2005, EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. THE BILL GIVES RECOGNITION TO THE RIGHTS OF GRANDPARENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN WHERE THE COURTS WOULD BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
AFTER RECEIVING OVER 500 RESPONSES FROM GRIEF-STRICKEN GRANDPARENTS FROM THE REGION WHO HAD FOUGHT HARD TO SEE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, CRAITOR DECIDED TO FIGHT FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING THE EMOTIONAL BOND SHARED BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS.
"FAR TOO OFTEN, AS YOU MAY KNOW, IN MESSY DIVORCE CASES, ACCESS TO CHILDREN OF THE MARRIAGE IS USED AS A WEAPON," CRAITOR SAID IN HIS SPEECH. "WHAT A LOT OF US ARE COMING TO REALIZE IS THAT FAR TOO OFTEN IN THIS BATTLE, GRANDPARENTS ALSO LOSE ACCESS TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. UNFORTUNATELY, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, EMOTION CLOUDS JUDGMENT AS TO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD."
ON HAND TO SUPPORT CRAITOR'S EFFORT WERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM GRAND-PARENTING AGAIN CANADA AND SECOND CHANCE FOR KIDS, TWO SUPPORT GROUPS FOR GRANDPARENTS WHO RAISE GRANDCHILDREN.
KYRIACOS KYRIACOU, DIRECTOR OF GRAND-PARENTING AGAIN SAID THE AMENDMENT IS VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE TANGLED IN A CUSTODIAL WEB. SPEAKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, HE FELT A CHILD NEEDS THE STABILITY OF A FAMILY MEMBER RATHER THAN THAT OF A STRANGER PICKED BY CHILDREN'S SERVICES.
"I HAVE FOUR GRANDCHILDREN THAT WERE TAKEN FROM CHILDREN SERVICES AND WE WERE DENIED THE RIGHT TO SEE THEM," SAID KYRIACOU, WHO DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THEM FOR FIVE MONTHS. "THE CHILDREN ARE THE ONES WHO SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE. THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS. THEY ARE TOLD WHAT TO DO, WHEN TO DO, AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE."
SECOND CHANCE FOR KIDS' TERRY HRANKOWSKI AGREED. HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGES MADE TO THE ACT WHICH WOULD ENTITLE GRANDPARENTS TO HAVE THE SAME "ENERGY AND CARE," AS WELL AS EQUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS THAT FOSTER PARENTS RECEIVE. HRANKOWSKI WOULD ALSO LIKE THE LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE OPEN ADOPTION THAT WOULD ALLOW EXTENDED FAMILIES TO GAIN CUSTODY OF CHILDREN.
"GRANDPARENTS HAVE ALWAYS HELPED CARE FOR THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, BUT WE HAVE NOW UNDERTAKEN ONE OF OUR MOST CHALLENGING, MOST REWARDING, MOST WIDE SPREAD TASKS FACING GRANDPARENTS TODAY," HE SAID. "WE'VE RAISED OUR CHILDREN, NOW WE'RE RAISING THEIRS. WE ARE AFTER ALL A VITAL ROLE IN RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION."
CRAITOR'S BILL WILL AMEND THE CURRENT CHILDREN'S LAW REFORM ACT, WHICH DESIGNATES A CHILD'S STATUS BETWEEN THEIR PARENTS.
THE BILL WILL REQUIRE PARENTS AND OTHERS WITH CUSTODY OF CHILDREN TO REFRAIN FROM OBSTRUCTING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS. IT WILL ALSO CONTAIN A LIST OF MATTERS THAT A COURT MUST CONTEMPLATE WHEN DETERMINING THE BEST INTERESTS OF A CHILD. ADDITIONALLY, THE BILL REQUIRES THE COURT TO CONSIDER CUSTODY ISSUES WITH THE PRINCIPLE THAT A CHILD SHOULD HAVE EQUAL CONTACT WITH EACH PARENT AND GRANDPARENT.
"THE RELATIONSHIP OF A CHILD TO THEIR GRANDPARENT CAN BE A BEAUTIFUL AND SELF-AFFIRMING ASSOCIATION," CRAITOR ADDED.
THE CHILDREN'S LAW REFORM ACT OF 2005 PASSED ITS FIRST READING ON APRIL 13 AND IS SLATED FOR A SECOND READING LATER THIS YEAR.

FROM THE NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW
Craitor fights for grandparents’ rights
By ALISON LANGLEY April 14,2005

WHEN HIS FOUR GRANDCHILDREN WERE TAKEN INTO CARE BY FAMILY AND CHILDRENS SERVICES OF NIAGARA, A DISTRAUGHT KYRIACOS KYRIACOU DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
“TRY TO IMAGINE BEING DENIED ACCESS TO YOUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN. THAT’S JUST NOT MORALLY RIGHT,” HE SAID.
HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT RIGHTS HE HAD AS A GRANDPARENT AND WHAT, IF ANY, SERVICES WERE OUT THERE TO HELP HIM REUNITE WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN.
AFTER A FIVE-MONTH BATTLE, KYRIACOU WAS AWARDED CUSTODY AND IS NOW RAISING HIS GRANDCHILDREN.
“NOBODY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY CHILDREN THE LOVE THEY DESERVE. NO ONE SHOULD GO THROUGH WHAT WE WENT THROUGH,” HE SAID.
KYRIACOU TOOK HIS CONCERNS TO NIAGARA FALLS MPP KIM CRAITOR ONLY TO DISCOVER HE WASN’T ALONE.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, CRAITOR HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 500 E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM GRANDPARENTS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS.
A GROUP OF LOCAL GRANDPARENTS TRAVELLED TO QUEEN’S PARK WEDNESDAY TO SUPPORT CRAITOR AS HE INTRODUCED A PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL THAT WOULD AMEND THE CHILDREN’S LAW REFORM ACT TO INCLUDE GRANDPARENTS RIGHTS.
THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE PARENTS AND OTHERS WITH CUSTODY OF CHILDREN TO REFRAIN FROM UNREASONABLY PLACING OBSTACLES TO PERSONAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS.
THE CHILDREN’S LAW REFORM ACT, IF ENACTED, WOULD GIVE GRANDPARENTS THE RIGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN WHEN COURTS DEEM IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
“FAR TOO OFTEN, SUCH AS IN A MESSY DIVORCE SITUATION, ACCESS TO THE CHILDREN IS USED AS A WEAPON. SPITE, HATRED AND REVENGE CAN BE AN AWFUL THING, BUT NO CHILD SHOULD BE ITS WEAPON,” CRAITOR SAID.
THE PROPOSAL AMENDS A SUBSECTION OF THE EXISTING ACT TO INCLUDE A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING EMOTIONAL TIES BETWEEN CHILDREN AND GRANDPARENTS.
KYRIACOU HOPES THE LEGISLATION WILL ALSO EASE RESTRICTIONS THAT CHILDRENS SERVICES AGENCIES SUCH AS FACS MUST COMPLY WITH IN TERMS OF GRANDPARENTAL ACCESS AND TO CONSIDER PLACING A CHILD IN A GRANDPARENTS HOME BEFORE SEEKING OUT A FOSTER FAMILY.
“CHILDREN NEED THE STABILITY THAT A GRANDPARENT CAN GIVE RATHER THAN A STRANGER PICKED BY CHILDREN’S SERVICES,” HE SAID.
KYRIACOU IS NOW A VOCAL SUPPORTER OF GRANDPARENTS’ RIGHTS AND IS A DIRECTOR AT GRAND-PARENTING AGAIN CANADA, A NIAGARA-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.
TERRY HRANKOWSKI, OF THE ST. CATHARINES-BASED SECOND CHANCE FOR KIDS, ALSO ACCOMPANIED CRAITOR TO TORONTO.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SUPPORT, SECOND CHANCE FOR KIDS IS ADVOCATING LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WOULD GIVE GRANDPARENTS THE SAME RECOGNITION AS FOSTER PARENTS.
THE GROUP IS CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ALTER THE TEMPORARY-CARE ALLOWANCE RATE UNDER THE ONTARIO WORKS PROGRAM TO REFLECT ESTABLISHED RATES FOR SIMILAR CARE BY FOSTER PARENTS.
“WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING, MOST REWARDING TASKS FACING GRANDPARENTS TODAY – WE’VE RAISED OUR CHILDREN AND NOW WE’RE RAISING THEIRS. WE NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED, RESPECTED, UNDERSTOOD AND SUPPORTED AS WE PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE RAISING OF THE NEXT GENERATION,” HRANKOWSKI SAID.