CASJAFVA Dinner Speech #2 / Part 349 / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne

Reminder: yesterday I posted the first part of the update I presented to a special group of people who sincerely advocate for protection and changes in areas that affect us all.

Second Part – Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association Dinner, October 24, 2010 Vancouver

“This case of the Province of BC Ministry of Children against Paul and Zabeth Bayne is waiting for a ruling by Judge Thomas Crabtree. The Baynes were in court since January to contest the application by the Ministry to keep their children forever. It's a Continuing Care Order. It means the children would remain in the care of the Province indefinitely, and that means possibly until the age of majority, age 19, and possibly adoption to another family. The Fraser Valley Region of the Ministry took this position that Paul and Zabeth continue to be a risk and that they should not have their children returned. MCFD holds that position in spite of the fact that Police dropped all charges of abuse and in spite of the fact that there is no actual evidence of danger or risk. They hold that position solely because Paul and Zabeth Bayne have refused to admit to harming their infant daughter whom a medical opinion said was the subject of shaking and trauma. The Ministry took the majority of the court time to prove how unfit Paul and Zabeth are to be parents. It had to embellish and stretch the truth throughout this trial. Many of us do not believe that the Ministry proved its case. All that matters now is that Judge Thomas Crabtree also concludes that the Ministry did not prove this and that it is in the best interests of these children to be returned to their parents.

How anyone could think otherwise is beyond my understanding. One of the special considerations favouring the Baynes that judge Crabtree has recently made in court was to permit one of the visitation days each week when Paul and Zabeth can see their children, to actually take place in the Baynes' own home. So for the past few Saturdays, all three children are brought to the Bayne home where each child is loved, loved, loved. They have six hours on a Saturday. The two boys have a shared bedroom where during the day if they choose to have a nap they can go there. These boys remember some toys and blankets from that brief time they spent with their mommy and daddy in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Baynes' small daughter has a room of her own with everything girly and fun. And there is a giant playroom for everyone and a large yard in which to play. And always these visitations are carried on with a supervisor present to monitor everything that is done. That supervisor cannot help but see how much these children love to be in their home.

That home is a rental house. You will remember that Paul and Zabeth lost their own home to pay for legal expenses in the early stages of this three year old struggle to regain their children. And Zabeth is a concert pianist and plays beautiful music and taught piano lessons but she had to sell her grand piano to pay for other legal expenses. They have exhausted all that they have in order to restore their family to a functioning and happy family once again. Paul and Zabeth deserve the right and the privilege of raising their three children into adulthood, instilling into their lives the values and principles and skills that will make them contributing members of society and contributing disciples of God's Kingdom.

In his closing summation, Baynes' lawyer Doug Christie told the Judge that the Ministry failed to prove its case. He said that this was purely a medical matter. It pertained to injuries sustained by their youngest child, an infant at the time. There was no evidence of wrongdoing by the Baynes. There was no confession by the Baynes. There was nothing to which the Ministry could point to prove that these parents willfully inflicted harm to their child and that is the only reason that these children should be removed from their parents. All that the Ministry has is a diagnostic opinion by a pediatrician who identified the injuries as shaken baby when there is no evidence that these injuries were the result of an act of violence. In fact it was later acknowledged by that doctor that the injuries indicated impact which of course is consistent with the explanation provided by the Baynes of an accident in the home when a sibling brother fell upon the baby.

Photo from the Bayne Facebook page

Within days the Baynes will receive the transcript of the Ministry lawyer's closing summation and then Mr. Doug Christie will prepare a rebuttal and submit it to Judge Crabtree. The Judge wants to make a ruling as soon as possible, and he will take a few weeks, and hopefully make his ruling before the end of this year 2010. The very best scenario would be for Kent and Baden and Bethany to be returned home unconditionally for Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning, so that Paul and Zabeth can rejoice that unto them their children have been given.
All of you who pray, please continue to pray for this family, and particularly Paul and Zabeth who wait so patiently.”

As I concluded, with Paul and Zabeth embracing in tears where they sat, six hundred people stood to give them a standing O.

CASJAFVA Dinner Speech / Part 348 / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne

This past Sunday evening my wife and I were invited guests at a fund-raising dinner held by CASJAFVA, that is an acronym for Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association. It was held in Vancouver's Chinatown at the Floata Restaurant. Six hundred people were in attendance, including some media people and some politicians and candidates for office. It is primarily Chinese based and operated having been founded and nurtured by lawyer K-John Cheung in 1997.

Brad Trost in the House

The guest speaker was the Honourable MP Mr. Brad Trost, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon-Humboldt. Brad currently serves as a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade. He formerly served as a member of the Natural Resources Committee and before that, the Industry Committee. He is the founder of the Conservative Party's Energy Caucus and is a member of the cross-party Pro-Life Caucus. He has also served as an elected vice-chair of the Canada-U.S. Parliamentary Association since 2006. At the dinner he touched on a number of points that struck responsive chords with his audience and he focused upon Immigrations issues to inform us about federal government interest, initiatives and proposals. Mr. Trost has a reputation for conservative values quite in keeping with similar convictions held by CASJAFVA.

I too was invited to provide an update about Paul and Zabeth Bayne who were also in attendance. This organization has been a principal supporter within the network of encouragement that has been offered to this couple over the past three years. The Baynes were presented to this large crowd last year. Their tears flowed as people stood to applaud them. I am providing the text of my speech here today and tomorrow.

First Part

“These have been three of the longest and most painful years that any parent could possibly live and survive. Three children, with two of whom, the sons Kent and Baden, Paul and Zabeth had already begun a loving parent-child relationship with ideals for their lives, with goals and hoped-for plans of a nurturing family in which their faith in God would play an important role. With the third child, a girl, Bethany, came the exciting prospect of a tiny child in dresses and with long hair and a sweet smile but she was only weeks old and any possibility of relationship had not yet had time to develop. And then with the incident/accident and the hospital diagnosis, and the response by police and the Ministry of Children, any relationship with her was put into jeopardy. Furthermore the two boys were children, for whom no explanation could possibly be adequate to mitigate the sheer terror of being snatched away from their parents. All of that happened three years ago. This past Friday was the third anniversary of their removal.”

THE CHILD / Part 338 / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne

On Thursday evening a Commenter from the USA left a request for me to publicize a worthwhile cinematic production called “THE CHILD.” It is being completed as we speak with scrupulous editing and with integration of music and narration. The sponsor of this project is an American based organization called ParentalRights.org about which I have written favorably in the past.

The comment contact wrote, “Ron, could you please let your readers know more info regarding the ParentalRights.org upcoming film on parental rights.” So here for the American blog readers is this message: “You can help us premiere “The Child” all across the U.S. on November 20, 2010 by hosting a public screening in your area! If you can arrange a public venue for the screening and commit to attending it yourself, we will supply the advertising and educational materials, as well as an advance DVD copy of “The Child,” free of charge. To request all the details, email WatchmanCinema@gmail.com". My PS to Canadian readers today, it may be worth your while to write this address and ask whether you can have a copy. See the promo http://thechilddocumentary.wordpress.com/

A well designed and easily accessible, highly informative website greets you when you double click http://www.parentalrights.org/ . I truly wish that there was something comparable in Canada. I wish there was an identifiable national organization comprised of Canadians such as the thousands who now read this GPS blog who would care enough to administer, sponsor, promote and champion the cause of asserting the rights of parents in Canada, the true best interests of children, and a citizen friendly Ministry of Children.

Advocating for the return of Paul's and Zabeth's three children, in MCFD care since October 2007.