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CLC Meeting Minutes
May 10, 2004
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
BCACL Office - 300 - 30 East 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
1. Introductions: People introduced themselves around the room.
2. Update on Issues: The Ministry is still challenged on
reaching a balanced budget in Community Living.
 | Reports from Price Waterhouse and Bert Boyd - Readiness will be released
this week, tentatively on Wednesday. |
| Legislation could also be introduced this week for first and second
readings, but it is unlikely that they will complete the legislation before
the summer recess. |
| Division of Children's services is almost finalized and should be similar
to the discussions at the Coalition meeting of April 14, 2004. |
| Budget Issue: Deficit of $10 Million to $15 Million this fiscal year that
needs to be resolved:
 | Review of Individuals costing $180,000 per year or more - only 40 - 45 people
not the upwards of 400 people that they originally estimated over this funding line... |
| IF Phase One - MCFD targeted $2 Million in savings from this program -
slow implementation and insignificant savings from plans mean little savings
so far... |
| Health & Safety funding - there is only $3 Million in this year's
funding for Health & Safety issues, when most years between $10 & 15 Million
has been spent. People included in this budget line are all children
turning 19 years old and any person or family in crisis. |
| Minister firm that the budget will be met and people will not be
put at risk. The coalition is very concerned that the Ministry will
not be able to keep people safe and meet their budget targets. There
must be more funding for the Ministry. |
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| Need to bring together a working group on communication issues to develop
proactive and reactive key messages over the next two weeks as reports and
legislation are released and media responds to the conclusions of the audit...
(David D., Laney B., Mike K., Jordan T., Tim S., Cathy A., Ernie B. )
| Positioning: Community is still supportive of a positive move to
community and family governance - there is broad support for long-term
improvement in the way services are planned for in community living. |
| Budget Issues: Separate from legislation - the longer the problem goes
without resolution, the further the government gets in the hole. |
| Press release from the Coalition |
| Need families / spokespeople to talk about the good work that has been
done and their hopes for the future. |
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3. Representation Agreements:
| Coalition representatives met with the Attorney General to give their
support to the maintenance of the separate Representation Agreement Act.
The AG feels that the Representation Agreement is flawed and wants to replace
it with the Personal Planning Act which would include the role of an assisted
decision maker who would help people who can't meet the competency standard.
This assisted decision maker would only be able to assist with less important
decisions. |
| The AG has signalled that they will hold off on completing new legislation
until the fall of 2004, but will introduce legislation this spring. |
| They argue that they are providing better protection for vulnerable
adults. The people supporting the Representation Agreements are the
"vulnerable people" - self-advocates, seniors, people with disabilities - who
never felt very protected by the public trustee or committeeship. |
| If the AG is committed to reform, we would prefer that he focus on
guardianship which is a separate act and can be addressed without touching the
Representation Agreement Act, or the reforms suggested by the McLean report. |
| MOTION: Coalition will send a letter to the Attorney General stating that
the Coalition is committed to the current Representation Agreement Act - a
legal and excellent method of planning for all the citizens of BC. The
letter will be CC:ed to all MLA's and to the Rep Agreement Centre. Moved
by Jordan, seconded by Klaus - CARRIED |
4. Minister Meeting with Coalition: May 28, 2004 - 2:30pm - the
co-chairs will bring together a panel to meet with the Minister.
5. BCACL Annual Conference: BCACL circulated the registration package
for their Annual Conference in Kamloops - June 10 - 12th, 2004.
6. Date of next meeting: Thursday, June 3, 2004 - 10am to 1pm -
BCACL - 300 - 30 East 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC - 604-875-1119
Meeting adjourned at 12:30pm.
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