THE COSTS OF THE BAYNE CASE / 583

The following article is written by Ray Ferris, retired social worker and author of 'The Art of Child Protection' and decided critic of the way the Ministry of Children and Family Development handled the case of Paul and Zabeth Bayne and their children for the past four years. Here he tells us what the estimated costs have been.

How can one even begin to measure the costs of the Bayne case? Do we count the number of hot, salty tears shed by the anguished parents, or those shed by the terrified children when they were dragged from that birthday party? Do we count how many aching heartbeats there were over the years? Do we count the emotional damage to the children caused by spending vital years in constant turmoil and uncertainty? Can we put a price on the horror felt by the many of the supporters at each fresh cruelty and indignity? Doug Christie was one person who paid a high price. It was not just the time he gave, when he could have been doing paid work, because that to him is a minor matter. No, it was the emotional toll it took when he could see the injustice unfolding and the suffering of the family. He was getting to the point where he couldn’t take it any more. All these costs will resonate with the readers of the Ron Unruh blog, but I doubt whether they will cause the least little bit of bother to the likes of director McNeill, his sidekick, John Fitzsimmons, or Loren Humeny, the social worker who tried to ban breast milk for a newborn infant. Was Judge Thomas Crabtree even able to get his head out of process and precedent for long enough to take a serious look at the human cost? He turned a blind eye to the guidelines of the act and anything else that did not fit into his concept of cold blooded justice.

MEDIATION RATHER THAN COURT / 511

Theoretically, whenever it is possible, the Ministry of Children and Family Development is expected to work with parents or caregiver/guardians rather than to take a case to court. Negotiation is the essential equipment by which MCFD is mandated to settle with parents a plan of care that is in the best interests of the children. Parents need to capitalize upon negotiation of an agreement or a ministry plan and themselves thereby avoid court. In fact, depending upon the circumstances of the case, when parents work with the Ministry, the Ministry has at times kept the child(ren) in the parent's home or at least in the home of other family members or close friends.

GIVE THEM A CHANCE AS A FAMILY! / 479

BAYNE CAMPAIGN

The Bayne family deserves a chance to live as a family. It has been apart far too long. Longer than was necessary. On March 2^nd 2011, a Court of Law overruled the Ministry of Children's foundational ground for intervention and care of three children. Judge Thomas Crabtree dismissed the shaken baby allegation, yet found no satisfactory explanation for injuries sustained in 2007 by the youngest of three children of Zabeth and Paul Bayne. Therefore a minimal level of risk was still assigned to them and the children remain in care for the specified period of six months. The case file has been transferred to the Surrey branch of MCFD with new caseworkers. Representatives of this branch and the Bayne parents have met together with a view to develop communication and to discuss action steps. It is hoped this is being conducted with a view to returning the children to the Baynes. The infant son, born February 10, 2011, who was removed four hours after birth in conjunction with the order in force at that time, is unfortunately a separate case even though integrally linked to the outcome of the earlier case. This continues to be a punishing and lengthy time for Paul and Zabeth, which at times must seem like it will never end. Remember them.

Part 138 / BIG FUNDRAISER / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne

BIG FUNDRAISER
INDOOR GARAGE SALE,
MARCH 20, 2010
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
That is this coming Saturday

All Proceeds go to the Bayne Family Trust Fund.

Pop and Hot Dogs for Sale

Located at Tadpole Academy Childcare
9766 Oak Street, Chilliwack, BC




To donate gently used items Call 604-703-8350

Please donate

Paul and Zabeth Bayne exhausted all their personal monies and their home on earlier legal attempts to retrieve their children. They now live in rental basement apartment. They gave up their day jobs to work as night janitors to be available in the day hours to visit their children and make daytime efforts to regain child custody. Zabeth is a concert pianist and music teacher but has not taught for all the time her children have been in care, 2.5 years. She played a fund raising concert in January that raised $12,000 and went into a registered Bayne Trust Fund. That has already been exhausted on these recent weeks of the hearing in court. I am still of the opinion that success in their case will pave the way for some further welcome MCFD transformational changes in policy and practice.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP IS EXTENDED For Love and For Justice/Part 128

A few days ago after speaking with the Trustees of the 'Bayne Trust Fund,' I published an invitation similar to this one. Paul and Zabeth don't need sympathy. They need compassion. While they endure these difficult weeks and months, they are making themselves available to other struggling people by listening, walking with, being friends. In the past two and one half years they have spent tens of thousands of dollars in this effort to regain custody of their three children. Some of you may be in a position to help them financially.

The Joint Trustees of the Bayne Trust Fund have notified me today that the funds, several thousand dollars that were acquired primarily from a January Piano Concert by Zabeth Bayne, have been exhausted through court costs to date. The Campaign for Love and for Justice is in immediate need of further funding from compassionate partners. Their defence is contingent upon additional funding.

Three Joint Trustees were appointed to set up and to manage a Bayne Trust Fund with a Chartered Bank, and the Fund is compliant with all legal requirements of Canada Revenue Agency and is governed in accordance with the law of the Province of British Columbia.


Donations will be accepted by deposit to this trust account at any branch of TD Canada Trust.

TD Canada Trust [bank # 004]
Continental Centre Branch [branch # 9713]
Account Number [6415554]
Cheque or Money Order should be made payable to: "Charter Lau, Kenny Chiu, Marvin Hunt In Trust For Paul and Zabeth Bayne" ; OR "Lau, Chiu, Hunt ITF Bayne"

Cheque or Money Order can also be posted to:

Lau, Chiu, Hunt in trust for Bayne
9406 Pauleshin Cres, Richmond, BC V7E 6P2

Thank you on behalf of Paul and Zabeth and their children,
Dr. Ron Unruh