PRESS RELEASE OF HITTRICH LAW ON BEHALF OF JP Very very disappointed but unfortunately not surprised. The first report appears to focus on attacking the Representative of Children and Youth C'RCY"), the Official Opposition, and the media for trying to do ther job in holding the Ministry of Children and Family Development (°MCFD") accountable. It has virtually nothing to do with the JP case. Its now more than ever that we need independent oversight and public scrutiny. ‘The report seems to be a folksy narrative on haw a Ministry designed by Plecas has gone wrong ~ because they veered from his intial path ‘The standards and practices set up are good. In the JP case social workers deliberately did not follow them, with disastrous results ‘There are many very conscientious social workers doing ther best, The JP case is not @ situation where socal workers were trying to do their best and are being vlfied for honest ‘The JP case is one of refusing to believe the cries of a protecting mather, deliberately ignoring court orders, misleading both the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court, attempting to keep documents out of fies, ond a continued insistence that they had done nothing wrory i spite UF venwhielming evidence to the contrary. Social worker after social worker showed contempt for JP and her desperate attempts to keep her children safe. This case was hardly a situation where socal workers were the slightest concemed about having done anything wrong. Mr. Plecas’*Sword of Damocles” hanging aver social workers is pure fiction and an absurd view in light ofthe JP case, Nowhere does Plecas deal with the ack of accountability. It isa simply @ general defence of social workers and the Ministry. Tis cleaty an attack on the RCY and Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond because she does her job ang ‘makes too many recommendations. Unik Plecas, it appears that she is prepared to Stand up for vulnerable children rather than toeing the party ine. It's ionic, and disturbing that the Plecas Report notes the many Issues MCFD is facing, yet he suggests phasing out the Representative, the only one who has intimate knowledge af what really goes on and appears to speak frankly and with courage. JP and her counsel see nothing inthe Report that makes them feel confident that children wil be safer It is lear that the assertions that the MCFD did nothing wrong will continue as ft did infront of Mr. Justice Walker. ‘The Report does nothing more than attempt to boister the Province’spositon and yet again, JP and 4 children are caught in the crossfire of someone's political ‘agenda. When will someone apologize to this family and do the right thing? Jack Hltrich, counsel for JP and her children