Current Affairs

Presentation
By Ryan Billard
 What is the issue?
 March 2008 a seven year old girl
came to school with swastikas and
racist slogans written on her body
with ink
 Next day, Manitoba Child and Family
Services seized the children from
their home
 Trial ensued, ended Thursday,
February 11th
 What is the Issue? (cont’d)
 The Court’s decision to grant
permanent custody to CFS was very
controversial
 Who is Involved?
 A seemingly normal family
 Children now 9 and 3 ½ yrs old
 Mother and Stepfather
 Stepfather member of the “white
pride” movement
 Where is this?
 Taking place in Winnipeg, Manitoba
 Suburbs
 Elementary School
 When is this?
 Started in March 2008 and the trial
for custody ended February 11, 2010
 Cause and Effect
 This is a cause and effect issue which
started when 7 year old went to
school with racial slogans on arms
 Effect: CFS seized the children from
their parents
 Effect: National and International
discussion over controversial decision
 Effect: Trial for stepfather’s custody
of children
 Does this Make the Reader Care?
 Yes: 2 reasons
 1: Fear of the governments power to
take children away from their
parents
 Course of action unclear
 Does this Make the Reader Care?
(cont’d)
 2: Fear of other families like this
interacting with our family/friends
 Very difficult to tell if a normal family
is actually normal
 Video showing white supremacist
family
 How to Follow Up
 Social Worker’s Perspective: CBC
archives
 Perspectives from different parts of
Canada: Canada.com
 Local Editorials: Winnipeg Sun
Website
 Sources
 Rutherford, Paul. "Case About Parenting Not Racism".
Winnipeg Sun 11th February, 2010
 Canwest News Service, "White supremacist parents
denied". The Gazette 12th February, 2010:
 Owen, Bruce. "Kids Won't go to Racist Home". Winnipeg
Free Press 12th February, 2010:
 Canwest News Service, "White supremacist father loses
custody battle". National Post 12th February, 2010:
 CBC News, "Parents put blame on daughter for racist
remarks, custody hearing told". CBC News May 26, 2009:
 White, Patrick. "Alleged racist parents lose custody of
children". The Globe and Mail 12th February, 2010:
Do you think the government has the
right to take people’s children based
on the way they are being raised?