Starving for the Children Campaign :: :: ::

Starvation Campaign is seemingly over

2005-07-24T14:52:00.000-04:00

Carline is now in Nova and is slowly starting to eat. The pressure continues however to request a public inquiry. It is to be expected (politicians are so predictable) that it will take time and much constant pressure to be finally granted.

We ask for the light to be on "justice." Mr Baker insists justice was served. I'm asking him to define justice then, because what the people call justice, in reality does not equate with what the Justice minister calls 'justice.'

Let's hope for some godliness in this case...

You will not be shocked to know that people write us constantly from othe provinces in Canada, as well as in the USA and lately, from New Zealand. Something is wrong in the case of child protection worldwide...

Andre Lefebvre

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For the love of our families
http://www.familyheadquarters.ca
Thoughts, Articles, Links, Real-Life Stories, Free book
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DEY: UPDATE from Carline July 13th

2005-07-16T02:12:00.000-04:00

Hi All:
This afternoon I had a phone call from Carline. She called from Nova,in Truro, about an hour from here. She sounds OK, not terrific, but ok. She is in a cottage with 5 other women. I believe she shares a bedroon with another woman. The house has a living roon, a dining roon, a kitchen, bedrooms, etc. They do their own cooking! I don't know who does the shopping. Carline said she has now started to take smoothies and puried food. I encouraged her to go off the "starvation for the children" and she said that she was thinking along those lines as well. She felt that the point had been made and that she was forced to go to these lengths to bring the issues with child protection to the public's attention. This she has done,but it is not over yet. The rest of us must now follow through and get the public and authorities to scrutenize this child protection business.

She has asked for a transfer to Kitchener, Ontario. She said that Larry did not want her to go, at least not just yet. That indicated to me that they did have some sort of phone contact. She did say that she felt that the authorities would not let them get together to organize any material for the Appeals, etc.

She also said that she did not know anything about the court case in Ontario. She found out about it after it was all over. [...] She felt that this was simply an opportunity for Craig , with the Crown's approval to express his so called victimization. She felt their biggest fear was that the children would come forward and express their wish to be with her.

She does get out in the yard for fresh air;I don't believe there are any restrictions on that. She is concerned because it is going to be a long, long time doing nothing. They are doing some kind of assessment to find out what kind of programs she will qualify for or what rehabilitation?? she should be provided. She asked for some craft type of materials. I'm not sure what she had in mind. Do you have any ideas?

Has anyone formally asked the Minister of justice to take a look at this case and/or the child protection business in Nova Scotia in general? Maybe this is something we need to do formally - draw up a letter and have a group of us sign it.

She does sound resigned. She is very strong physically and mentally. I think it would be to her advantage to go back on solid food and if the authorities have nothing to hide?? then we in Nova Scotia do need an inquiry. It's long overdo. It's needed to determine if "the best interest of the children" is what is going on!!
Marilyn

Get Carline's book for FREE

2005-07-08T20:26:00.000-04:00

Carline VandenElsen has asked me to make her book available for free. Beside shipping and handling charges ($5 USD will ship anywhere in North America),
you can get the book for the asking. Pay via Paypal using any credit card. If you don't have a credit card, write us and we'll let you know how to forward
payment.

This book will hopefully help you connect the dots... get to know Carline, the mother. Read about the battle for her children, read about how compliance to
the rules can be used by others to steal from you what is most precious.

DEMAND A PUBLIC INQUIRY

2005-07-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

Write, call, fax the Nova Scotia Justice Minister Michael Baker and request a public inquiry: Address: 5151 Terminal Rd., Halifax, N.S. B3J 2L6, phone 902-424-4044 or e-mail bakermg@gov.ns.ca or michaelbakermla@ns.sympatico.ca .

Join us to ask for a PUBLIC INQUIRY

2005-07-04T12:10:00.000-04:00

LEFEBVRE: Response to Carline

2005-07-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

Dear Carline,

I hear your pain. What is happening is terrible, yes. So I'll be symbolically silent for a few minutes to join in your grief, and say it's OK to grieve. None of your tears are lost.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

But I also wanted to speak a few words about your children. As a father, I came to realize that my children have a life of their own. Even though I have lost through the devastations of a divorce, they have survived and lived a life, going to school, having friends, dreaming of becoming someone, developing talents, etc. It hurts to think I wasn't there for much of it, though, but now that they are adults, I realize they never stopped needing me, loving me, valuing my presence and the message of love and strength I could send them. My words go a long way, because of the room they have inside for their parents. That love never really goes away.

And as adults now, I mean something different to them. My fathering has risen to a new level, I learned so much from them, they actually helped me become an adult in a deeper sense. They taught me what unconditional love. And today I bless God that we are alive and keeping in touch. Naomi, the youngest, did not want me around too much for many years, but today we're constantly connecting and as she shares about her life, she asks me to speak into it. Phebe was the conforming one, very needy and insecure, but brilliant and radiating, children love her instantly. She is in a different place and needs to experience her distance with me. One day, she will come back. I'm not going anywhere when it comes to my children.

My theory is that we don't become adults at 18. We only become of legal age. Adulthood doesn't come to us like adolescence or other seasons of life. We go to it, we walk into it, we embrace it by letting go of childish things. The transition between adolescence and adulthood is a long process, and starts happening in our teens. But the peak of awareness of both stages, and the awareness of the need to move into adulthood is quite an amazing experience of lucidity. That's why I think we usually will do our most important inner work in our 40s and 50s, the threshold years into maturity.

People survive the most incredible situations and go on living their lives. The damage done is not impossible to heal. I have been separated from my family at the same age as Mona-Clare. I was damaged. God found me when I was a child, and I found him as a young adult. I have been hurting for years, but have made it through and can't know my life as being anything else than what I got. Of course there are many things I would have liked to change, but we can only move on.

When I look around, a perfect and happy life is not one that is void of pain, but one that is blessed with love (which you have plenty to give to your children), with friends (you have many of them), with dreams (a woman like you can do so much, look at what you've inspired despite your limited conditions), and hope (that crazy next breath we dare to take in, that crazy chance we take on going on living and see the next day coming with its gifts).

You are not abandoned by those who should matter most to you. Systems change only insofar as people in those systems change. And so that's why it's vital that we keep at it and inspire intelligent change. So it takes time. But a momentum has built in your case. People are not silent anymore. And I'm working on the idea of a conference for survivors of the CAS processes. We'll talk more about it later. I'm just recently pregnant of this idea.

We keep witnessing a movement of protest rising, a public inquiry being repeatdly asked, it's like a public prayer that mounts, a chant that swells, coming from the poor and the rich, the weak and the powerful. It will not be denied anymore. It's ony a question of time. This whole ordeal had to reach a level of injustice that is so obvious because people are so asleep. It is a wake-up call that goes beyond the CAS and reaches the very core of a corrupted government.

Canada brags about its international status. Maybe we have great foreign policies and reputation. But at home, we are dealing with the same humanity as other countries do, and we do stand a chance that by defining the contours of that corruption, it will become obvious to many, and warrant change.

So remember this: as heart-wrenching as it can be, our children belong to God and He will care for them. My youngest daughter is now 25. She has been living out so much pain, and her life had become the canvas for her cry. But I prayed, and stayed available day and night for her, and she finally found me. She is a fine woman, bright and beautiful, another survivor, but a living testimony to the power of love and understanding, of forgiveness. Walking through her wounds, she does have challenges, like all of us, but is making her life a powerful statement to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit.

Your life is not over, Carline. There are things you cannot change outside of you, but there are some you can change inside. And that is a good place to be if you can touch it. It may require a faith beyond what you think you can exercise, and a humility to lay down your weapons for a while (which does not mean you give up the fight, only that you also give God room to work in you). That's why hope is so important. And faith in the nature of your children. And the power of prayer.

Look around you, and see how many of us have gone through the fire, and see how we can be here to support you and your family. You will never cease being a mother. That will never be taken away from you.

There are times where we have to admit we've been defeated. That we lost a battle, ALTHOUGH not the war. It is good to be reconciled with that reality. You lost this round, and yes, there exists a force outside of you that has succeeded in taking your child away, again. But it didn't do under the cover of darkness, but in broad daylight! And that is the fatal error the CAS did. It will never go away, and further serves to expose the horrors committed every day by their "system."

You often mention you're fighting for the children and all the parents who are abused by the CAS. People know you're not crazy! FAR FROM IT!!! Most people I speak to know how brilliant you are, and such a good person.

Rick Howe now comes out and joins his voice with the crowds that demand a public inquiry in the CAS and in your case. I wrote Noam Chomsky yesterday night and he replied saying it is shocking, that he didn't know about it. I spoke with Amy and she is devastated by what's happening, expressing so much regret for her words to you as she couldn't see the truth at the time. But now she does. There is a new group formed by retired academics and journalists, asking for a public inquiry. We're looking into printing something in the paper that people can just mail-in to the government.

I have people writing me almost every day sharing their stories. Parents who are going through the same kind of problems, grand-parents trying to help their children and ending up being treated like criminals. People are coming out and finding hope for their own situations, little sparks, but nonetheless hope.

Hope for the children, hope for the families, hope for our society to become wiser and mature. We're watching our leaders and finding ways to bridge the gap that has been created by people's near abdication of their civil responsabilities. It's a historical battle, Carline. No exaggeration.

But because of the road ahead, we have to let the battle change us too and refine our characters. That's the key to become great leaders and affect change in a deep and inspiring way. The weapons we use will always be scrutinized and either help or damage our efforts. The best tools we have are love, passion and characters. Our talents are going to be exponentially affected by these.

We have hope. Hope with us, Carline.

Blessings,

Andre

p.s. we're getting ready to see you when you come to Stratford.

DEY: Update from Carline July 1st, 2005

2005-07-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

Hi All:
Carline's phone call this afternoon was the most disturbing. She said that she just does not care anymore. She cannot drink or eat at this point. People cannot understand that she is not crazy or mentally ill, she is in a state of deep grieving. She does not know where her baby, Mona Clare is. She does not know how her triplets are doing. her grieving is for the devastation of the whole family, 2 gandmothers are dead, a baby is missing, both parents are in jail,her triplets cannot be with their mother and a young daughter cannot be with her father. The system has destroyed this family. There is no hope and there is no point in going on.

Carline expects to be taken to the hospital today (Friday). She is feeling very sick and too far gone to even take any liquids.She is hoping that the treatment in the hospital will be better than at corrections. All communications have been cut off for her. Her lawyer from Ontario called her yesterday and authorities refused to allow her to talk to him. She wanted to call him today but, she was refused permission. It has been 40 days since she began the starving for the children. She expects to be taken to Dartmouth General Hospital. She has no way to contact Larry.

She knows the justice system is not perfect, but to what extent does it have to go in this case. Her question is, How can Justice Minister Baker and Judge Wright justify these sentences. Is this the case where she and Larry have to be penalized to this extent to show to the public that if you dare question the authority of child protection you will be punished and this is the extent to which the system will go to protect itself and to maintain the status quo at all costs?

When I attempted to have her change her mind and work toward coming off the starving for the children for the sake of the triplets who will be looking for her and hopefully Mona Clare who is young enough now to see a time when the archaic adoption laws of Nova Scotia will have to change and she will be able to contact her parents, her answer was , what would be the point.

The conversation was very distubing and so unlike Carline. Her vivaciousness was gone , her voice was filled with sadness and she sobbed uncontrollably. Is this what J.Wright so vehemently wanted? Is this justice or is it revenge? The question still remains, what is Minister Baker trying to hide. We still need an inquiry into the child pretection system!! If a true inquiry is done in the Theresa McEvoy case,some of the deep ,dark, secrets of the child protection system may see the light of day. Carline,many of us are praying for you. There is no justice, there is no reasonableness; there is chaos and anarchy, the very evil that Justice Wright is trying to protect us from, is what we have now. For you Carline, there is only prayer.

LEFEBVRE: Response to Verdict and Sentence

2005-07-01T10:31:00.000-04:00

Sentenced by the courts on June 29th,2005, Larry and Carline VandenElsen have received the following punishment:

- They lost their 5 month old baby girl
- The State has been unaccountable for the abduction of their baby girl
- Public character assassination
- Public shame for standing against the powers that be (let it teach us all a lesson, eh?)

4.5 years for Larry Finck and 3.5 years for Carline VandenElsen. Both were credited double time for time served, contrary to the abusive 1.5 time the Crown wanted to force on them. Larry will then serve 4.5 years less 26.5 months and Carline will serve 3.5 years less 200 days.

One thing this trial has not succeeded at doing is examine the reasons why Larry and Carline refused to hand over their baby. Why the RCMP tried to ram down their door in the middle of the night. The many irregularities CAS and the legal system have been responsible for, from the first court order while Mona-Clare was still in the womb, to the use of the RCMP anti-terrorist unit in the middle of the night, to the abuse of mental health assessments which the CAS sparkles families with like poisoned candies at Christmas.

What this trial has succeeded to do is throw discredit on the institution of "justice" in that province, and has helped bring out to the light the issue of the CAS and Family Court who, by their very self-preservation, continue to break up families using "mental health" as their weapon of choice.
Quote from Supreme Court Justice Robert Wright at sentencing: "Like Ms. VandenElsen, Mr. Finck appears to have little appreciation for the seriousness of his unlawful conduct or the danger he put his child in. Like Ms. VandenElsen, he blames everyone but himself."

It is very telling to me that NOWHERE is there ANY blame put on ANYONE outside of Larry and Carline for the turn of events that provoked them to hide with their baby. And we all know that the sequence of events that lead to the couple’s awareness of the clear and present danger has to do with the history of the CAS in violating their mandate (lip service) of protecting the children (except against agencies like the CAS), creating chaos and breaking families where it wasn’t needed.

How do we let an agency that has both a governmental and private status, use its own psychiatrists and lawyers to build up their own defense to support the fabricated removal of children in otherwise regular families? Who has never had any harm done to them in a family? Who can predict that a child placed in a foster home will NEVER have any harm done to them? The OPPOSITE is actually truer. So where does the CAS logic apply in this case? It doesn’t, because they haven’t operated logically.

At this point, scores of people from around Halifax and elsewhere, in Ontario as well, are coming out with their own horror stories of how their child has been methodically removed by the CAS and placed in a foster home or given in adoption. To ignore them is no longer possible. We cannot refuse to consider the future of this "mental health" angle as being the weapon of choice being use nowadays to forcibly take away from parents their children who suffer from mental health.

A public inquiry is the only way we will finally expose the inefficiency of the system they use, and expose the numerous abuses that will shock people. There is a systemic blindness to the real tragedies unnecessarily created by employees of a system who rely solely on the letter of the law to accomplish a task: provide candidates to a system that processes children.

Cynical? Far from it. It is a grim and undisputable reality.

Larry, Carline and Mona-Clare Finck have been victims of this confused system. The standoff stemmed from their refusal to abide by the CAS comedic claims to their infant. And now that the LAW has succeeded in forcing itself on those victims, we need to stand and denounce such atrocities against Canadian families. The deep shame that stigmatizes families who lose their children for reasons that are beyond them, the powerlessness before a system that maintains that rules have to be blindly applied, even if those rules clearly violate the very mandate they boast about: protecting children and keeping families together. It is clear that we assist at a social fraud.

The CAS has turned into a monstrous machine, and the longer we leave it to itself, unaccountable, the worst it will become. In that particular province, the obligatory annual review of the CAS and Child Protection Services has not been done since 1999. It is time we start asking questions. There's a big building being constructed in Stratford, ON for the CAS... WHY do they need a new million-dollar building?

Regards,

Andre Lefebvre
http://www.familyheadquarters.ca

DEY: Update from Carline June 24 2005

2005-06-24T02:11:00.000-04:00

Hi All:
Well the scheduled visit with Carline this afternoon took place . Evangeline and I spent an hour with her. She looked amazingly refreshed but is as thin as a rail, Weighting about 110 lbs.

Justice Smith's report on the permament care order was released today. Carline has a copy but she said it was too upsetting for her to read it. It is again anotherr abuse she is being subjected to.

The report is 48 pages!! Carline's comments:

" If this report is like her previous orders and renderings then it is libelous slanderous and of grave conflict of interest. It has to be so over the edge, over the top to justify her(J. Smith"s) previous criminal activity. It was a sad day in Nova Scotia Jurisprudence when she (J.Smith) was made Asssociate Chief Justice".

"Jesus said it was best for someone to have a boulder attached to his neck and be thrown into the sea then to be found guilty of offending children. That is why I am hungering for the children."

"This government is offending children. I still have a responsibility and I am exercising my conscience and responsibility by carrying on the "Starving for the children".

"There are twice as many permanent care cases here in Halifax under the Children's Aid Society as there are in Toronto with a population of 4,000,000 as compared with a population of 450,000 here in Halifax as reported in the 2003 abridged edition of the Canadian Family Law."

According to a statement released by the Minister of Education,in five years there will be 20% less children in the schools of Nova Scotia. This is alarming for the group unit of society, the family. This government is supporting the "status quo" and this gives us a genocide. If the number of children in the society is decreasing and the family unit is disappearing then the implications for the future of Nova Scotia is alarming. The government of Nova Scotia is supporting the abuse of children by it's own child protection system,which was suposedly put in place to protect children.

Carline had a visit from the Ombudsman's Office. She is not getting the proper health treatment, when she was locked in the cell she was denied contact with anyone from health, she was denied medication for the developing headache, she was denied counseling to deal with the stress and unreasonableness of the lock down. She was denied a visit by Heather from the E.Fry society and material that she had given Heather was conviscated by corrections.

Carline is denied contact with Larry. They have not been able to speak to each other for more that a week and a half. She was denied an outside time to get fresh air and then when they did allow it they would not let her back in.

Carline has been denied access to the media even though the media has been trying to reach her. Corrections will not allow her to put the media people on her list of contacts for visits. carline believes that they have orders to deliberately needle her to provoke a reaction.

There is more but, I will send it off tomorrow. This is very disturbing and stressful and alarming ,that we in Nova Scotia have such a child protection system and such a corrupt justice system. I wonder if these problem youth when the get exposed to such a system, quickly learn of the system and have no faith in it whatsoever When they see those in authority carry out the lies, manipulatioin, missrepresentation and injustice, why bother to reform.

Marilyn

DEY: Carline in Lockup

2005-06-23T13:04:00.000-04:00

Carline VandenElsen has been locked in her cell for the last 4 days and indefinitely for her attempts to bring a civilized atmosphere among her fellow range mates she put it, there is an atmosphere of distrust, anger, discord among the fellow inmates
on her range fostered by favoritism and special treatment of certain inmates by those in authority including guards.

The authorities are pitting one inmate against the other and standing back to observe the fiasco that is created. Carline put in a written request to see the Captain try to rectify the situation. Immediately she was given extra chore to do.

When she protested, she was them locked in her cell and told there is no Captain available while she could look out of her cell and see the captain sitting there. Yesterday she was developing the same headache that hospitalized her on the weekend. When she asked to see some one from health, she was told "that's what happens when you don't eat".

She has requested the same meds that she had for the headache, the request has been denied. She has asked to see a doctor or nurse because ishe is aware that the headache is an indication that the blood pressure may be at a dangerous level. Carline does not want to die.

She has 4 children who need her and will be looking for her at some point in their lives and she needs to be there for them when that time comes. Court orders cannot prevent the natural course of events, all children want and deserve contact with their natural mother. On Tuesday when Carline had her regular 20 minutes of outside fresh air, the guards then refused to let her back in???

Carline has now asked for channeling to help her deal with this latest development as well as the health issues, the denial of the medication, the lack of space to more around and the lock down itself. This is another form of abuse and torture.

Marilyn Dey [friend in Nova Scotia]

CARLINE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

2005-06-20T10:10:00.000-04:00

Carline was able to make a phone call to-nite, She is feeling better now. She was indeed taken to the hospital yesterday (June 18), the Dartmouth General Hospital, where she was treated ina timely manner and given intravenous drugs for the migraine headache and the vomiting. She is weak but feeling better.

There are however,disturbing aspects:

She was taken out of corrections in shackles. She was very sick in the morning but the staff took their good old time to respond. Finally a nurse insisted that she be taken to emergency without delay.

Larry was unable to get any information about her from anyone at corrections. they would not allow any contact including phone contact.

The only contact that Larry amd Carline have with each other is a 10 minute phone call per week. They are co-acused and are unable to prepare for any court appearance with these restricted contacts.

Carline again wants to emphasize that the child protection process in Nova Scotia needs to be examined beacuse it is engaged in the deliberate abuse of children, not only Mona Clare, but hundreds of other children across the province. Children are abused by the system and families are destroyed. Her case only exemplifies the process.

POSTCARD PROTEST PROJECT

2005-06-16T04:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a postcard you can print and hand out at the mall, on the street, in churches, at the court house, etc. You know where to find people...

(Right-click to download. You can fit 3 postcards per 8.5 X 11 page. Print on paper, white or colored, or bristol)

Better still, mail them (massive blitz mail works too...:O) to various CAS in Nova Scotia, as well as elected officials, medias, human rights organizations, anyone who cares about our families and human rights in Canada. Our elected officials count on us to let them know what problems we want them to take care of. This is democracy. Let's do our part and spread the message: we want an accountable and safer CAS. We want our families to stay together, we are not interested in justifying the existence of the CAS by letting them activate the "breaking-up machine" even if there is no real case.

Here are some of those addresses. Click on or download This Word Document with addresses on labels ready to print (Avery #08250 or #08160), or use the addresses below:

Annapolis County
Family & Children's Services
of Annapolis County
Municipal Building, St. George Street,
Box 39 Annapolis Royal,
Nova Scotia B0S 1A0

Antigonish County
Antigonish District Office Dept
of Community Services
325 Main Street, Federal Building,
2nd Floor Antigonish,
Nova Scotia B2G 2C3

Cape Breton County
Children's Aid Society
of Cape Breton-Victoria
Children's Training Centre Building
1039 Upper Prince Street
Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 5P3

Colchester County
Children's Aid Society &
Family Services of Colchester County
60 Lorne Street, P.O. Box 950
Truro, Nova Scotia B2N 3K3

Cumberland County
Family & Children's Services
of Cumberland County
26-28 Prince Arthur Street, Suite 201,
P.O. Box 399 Amherst,
Nova Scotia B4H 1V6

Dartmouth District Office
Dartmouth District Office,
Community Services
Suite 205, Dartmouth Professional Centre
277 Pleasant Street Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia B2Y 4B7

Digby County
Digby District Office,
Community Services
P.O. Box 399, Warwick Street Digby,
Nova Scotia B0V 1A0

Guysborough County
Guysborough District Office
Department of Community Services
P.O. Box 90, Chedabucto Mall
Guysborough, Nova Scotia B0H 1N0

Halifax CAS
Children's Aid Society of Halifax
6009 Quinpool Road, 4th Floor
(Willow Tree Tower)Halifax,
Nova Scotia B3K 5J7

Hants County
Family & Children's Services
of Hants County
P.O. Box 99, 1469 King Street
Windsor, Nova Scotia B0N 2T0

Inverness-Richmond Counties
Children's Aid Society of
Inverness-Richmond
218 MacSween Street, P.O. Box 359
Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia B9A 2J9

Kings County
Family & Children's Services of Kings County
76 River Street Kentville,
Nova Scotia B4N 1G9

Lunenburg County
Family & Children's Services
of Lunenburg County
Suite 105, Provincial Building 99 High Street
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia B4V 1V8

Mi'kmaq - Eskasoni
Mi'kmaq Family & Children's
ServicesGeneral Delivery
Eskasoni, Nova Scotia B0A 1J0

Mi'kmaq - Shubenacadie
Mi'kmaq Family &
Children's Services
Indian Brook OfficeBox 179,
Shubenacadie Hants County,
Nova Scotia B0N 2H0

Pictou County
Children's Aid Society
of Pictou County
7 Campbell's Lane, P.O. Box 488
New Glasgow,
Nova Scotia B2H 2H9

Queens County
Family & Children's Services
of Queens County
P.O. Box 1360, 123 Henry Hensey Drive
Liverpool, Nova Scotia B0T 1K0

Shelburne County
Children's Aid Society
of Shelburne County
P.O. Box 9Barrington,
Nova Scotia B0W 1E0

Yarmouth County
Family & Children's Services
of Yarmouth County
10 Starr's Road Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia B5A 2T1
Andre

UPDATE: June13, 2005

2005-06-13T20:24:00.000-04:00

We got a message from Carline this morning telling us that she would stop the starvation campaign. But we heard wrong. She actually wants to go off liquids. I'm hoping for a report soon.

To be continued...

CARLINE IN COURT

2005-06-05T19:16:00.000-04:00

Carline shared these things with us:

There was a police intercept not included in the hearing which ordered Carline and family to stay in the house. They were making plans to smash in the front window with a bulldozer and use tear gas bombs.

She mentions a book she cited in court "Whores of the Court – the Fraud of Psychiatry" by Dr. Margaret Hagen. "It’s a particularly revealing book about a psychiatrist’s disparaging remarks about how the mental health profession has gone ‘nuts.’"

In a report from Carline in late May, she reported calling Justice Baker’s office. She spoke to Richard Perry (his personal assistant). He cited what Baker said to the press the week before, that no inquiry would be done until new information becomes available. Then he said "the courts are taking care of this case." When she replied that this is not happening, and the trial was a lynching, he literally hung up the phone.

Carline has written a notarized declaration giving her husband Larry complete authority over her being should the time comes that she goes into a coma. She doesn’t believe this will be respected despite the declaration being notarized. She reports that corrections advised they have full control over her body if she slips into a coma, and until they can get Larry. Corrections told her that should this happen it could take them considerable time to get Larry (“even though”, as Carline writes, “Larry is 2 minutes away”.)

Andre

Press Release from Justice Inc: Fifty Reasons

2005-06-05T12:14:00.000-04:00

Fifty Reasons

- Why We Need An Immediate, Public Inquiry Into the Carline VandenElsen & Larry Finck Case.

We need a public inquiry into the complete handling of the case of Carline VandenElsen and Larry Finck and the forceful removal of their child on May 21, 2004 and their subsequent arrest, incarceration, and permanent care hearings. It has now been 380 days since their child was forcefully seized by NS Children’s Aid and Halifax Regional Police, Swat Team. No reasonable cause was provided. This barbaric action was approved of by Judge Debra Smith of NS Supreme Court and totally ignored by all NS politicians.

We need broad, public, independent and all day televised hearings into the Family Law System and the NS Children's Aid Apprehension Practices. Just like the Gomery Inquiry. We need compensation for all victims. We, the people, demand an independent public inquiry to resolve the following....

Save a Life

1. We need to save the life of Carline VandenElsen, wife, mother, who is starving for the children in her demands to get justice via a public inquiry.
2. We need both parents, Carline VandenElsen and Larry Finck free on bail immediately.

IWK Doctor

3. How can a doctor violate the privacy rights of her patients, mal-practice, which resulted in seizure of the child, and still be employed as a pediatrician by the government?

4. How can a doctor's call to eliminate all medical concerns to the Children's Aid be totally ignored? The doctor called to say there were absolutely no concerns for the health and welfare of the child.

5. Why didn’t the IWK prepare a birth certificate and register the birth?

Children's Aid

6. How the Children's Aid can make an apprehension order while the baby is still a fetus?

7. How the Children's Aid can seize a baby without any evidence of life endangerment?

8. How the Children's Aid can seize a child without any investigation or consultation with the parents?

9. How the Children's Aid can seize a child without any attempts to identify a problem and then work to solve the problem?

10. How the Children's Aid can seize a baby temporarily and it turns into long term?

11. How the Children's Aid can seize the baby permanently and make application for permanent care?

12. How many other children are permanently removed from their homes and families by Children's Aid without proof of life endangerment?

13. How the Children's Aid can violate their mission statement of keeping the families together?

14. Why and when, the Children's Aid is no longer in the child protection business but the child apprehension business?

15. How is the Children’s Aid funded?

16. Which is more profitable: seizure of children or working with the family to keep them together?

17. Why are the Children’s Aid still in business?

SWAT TEAM

18. How the SWAT team can be called in to stalk a family for months?

19. How the SWAT team can bash in a family's door after midnight?

20. How the SWAT team can have the authority to forcefully seize a couple’s child without any reasonable alternatives.

21. How the SWAT team can physically abuse the parents and others after they gave up?

22. How the SWAT team can ignore the fragile life and health of an aging grandmother ?

23. How the SWAT team can cause undue hardship and anxiety to a child, her parents and the grandmother?

24. How the SWAT team can follow an apprehension order without any due diligence of their own?

25. How the SWAT team can remove a nursing, 5 month old baby from her very sustenance of life, her mother’s breast?

Judge Smith

26. How a judge can issue an apprehension order based on no evidence of life endangerment?

27. How a judge can issue an apprehension order based on a possible future harm complaint?

28.How a judge can get promoted to Assistant Chief Justice while she deliberately caused the forceful removal of a child from her parents without cause?

29. How can that judge now adjudicate the results of her own actions in court?

Permanent Care, Constitutional Question?

30. How a hearing for permanent care can continue without competent lawyers for the defense, or the child?

Judge Wright?

31. How a criminal trial can go on without the other party present? Children's Aid?

32. How no evidence was presented by

Children's Aid?

33. How a criminal trial can go on without including the validity of the court order, which is the starting point for the standoff and the refusal to hand over their child by the parents?

34. How a trial can continue without allowing all evidence, witnesses etc. for the defense?

35. How a judge can delay sentencing so as to keep people incarcerated without bail or time served?

Courts

36. How the system can continue endlessly without any accountability as to expenses?

37. How there is unlimited financial assistance for the prosecution but nothing for the defense?

38. How there is unlimited financial costs for the Children's Aid, the lawyers, the prosecution etc. and nothing for the parents.

Jail

39. How the jailers can deny food, mattresses, personal care, medical and counseling Carline and Larry and other prisoners?

40. How the jailers can deny phone calls, visits, legal documents etc? for prisoners who are self representing in court each day?

41. How the jailers can deliberately install a system of noise, light and sound distraction so one can't work?

Accountability

42. How no politician is accountable for anything in NS?

43. How there is no method to hold politicians accountable?

44. How no cops, no Children's Aid, No MLA's, noPremier, no Attorney General, no ombudsman and no anyone is accountable for anything?

45. Who is doing their job, who is not, and what is their job? How is it possible that the Government of NS can attack a family, seize their child and violate all their human and Charter Rights and no one is accountable?

Canadian Charter of Rights

46. How can Sections: 2, 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15.1, 24, 28, 31, 52 all be violated by this government and no remedies or accountability has been offered?

47. The parties involved are: All NS Politicians, Minister of Community Services, David Morse, Premier Hamm, AG Michael Baker, our MLA Ron Russell, VandenElsen /Finck MLA, MLA Howard Epstein, NS Children’s Aid, Elizabeth Whelton, Blois-Nickerson law firm, IWK Hospital and possibly other hospitals, Dawn Edger, pediatrician to Carline and Mona-Clare, HRP + ER(SWAT) team, Judge Debra Smith, Judge Wright and other judges involved in rubber stamping apprehension orders, NS Corrections.

48. The aggrieved parties are: Larry Finck, Carline VandenElsen, Mona-Clare, (baby), Mona Finck and all the other parents and children who have been tortured and terrorized by this agency, government and political, judicial cover up.

49. Warning! NS is not safe for Families! Every parent and every child is at risk, here. We want justice!

50. To restore faith, in the judicial system.

Justice Inc.
Parents Civil Rights Movement
Connie Brauer and Vic
Harris 1061 Mines Rd. Falmouth, NS B0P 1L0
Phone and Fax
902.798.5267
Email: cbrauer@lincsat.com

cc NS Ombudsman
cc Ron
Russell, MLA and Deputy Premier, failed to respond
cc John Hamm,
Premier of NS, failed to respond
cc Michael Baker, Attorney
General of NS, failed to respond
cc International Criminal Court
@ Hague, add to our file.
cc Carline VandenElsen and Larry
Finck, parents incarcerated in NS Correctional Center
cc Media ,
NS and World Wide
cc Parent’s Civil Rights Movement

P.S. Karla Homolka, who killed 3 women and raped and drugged another one, will be free in July after serving 12 years.

Carline VandenElsen and Larry Finck have been fighting for their children, in the courts, for more than 10 years and they still do not have them back. They are both incarcerated for refusing to give up yet another child to the system.

Something is very evil here!

UPDATE: June 4th 2005

2005-06-04T14:10:00.000-04:00

From MD in Nova SCotia:

"There was no court on Friday. Carline is so emotionally strong, she is still fighting! She said she is tired and weak with some body ackes and pains. She finds the cells very cold and damp. She is geting Ensure but now it is causing her to have the runs. She also in having a sore throat."

"Heather and Laurie from the Elizabeth Fry came to see her on Thurs. I believe. Laurie tried to convince her to go off the "starving for the children" because she felt that she had successfully brought attention to the problem. This is what some people are saying here, and maybe thiis is what they were told to say. We know Heather and Laurie. Their job is to help. And they hear the same kind of stories day after day."

"Carline's answer was that she is not looking for attention. She wants answers and results. Why is this child welfare system able to bring this harm to children and families including her own? Something has to be done to stop the abuse. Those in authorty, including Hamm, Baker and Morse have a responsibility to investigate and institute change. In this system the children are broken and families are destroyed. This is what happened in her family and in hundred"s of families across Nova Scotia and Canada. There is something wrong with the system that allows this to happen.
They cut our conversatioin short. All conversation from corrections is recorded. She has an approved visit today, lets see if they cancel it."

"Heather and Laurie brought one other bit of good news. There is a group of women connected with Mount Saint Vincent who have in interest in women's rrights and the Justice System. They are outraged by what they see is going on and they are willing to try to help. The group is called something like WIJI -Women"s Initiative for Justice..."

"Carline also wrote another letter to Baker and Chief Justice Kennedy (Criminal Court)."

MD

CRUCIAL CONTACTS

2005-06-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

Canada is a democracy. The voice of the people needs to be heard by our elected officials for them to know that something is wrong at our level.

The Conservative Party (PC)endeavors to be the next Federal government in place. This is a good chance for them to be engaged where it matters to us.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) also states that they are concerned with our daily lives. Maybe they could also succeed in bringing this situation to the attention of those who can do something about it.

Use these addresses, emails et phone numbers (and any of your local MLAs contacts) to let the government hear our plea for families accross Canada. A public inquiry can only serve the best interest of the Canadian children.

Be polite in your communications, but don't hesitate to write and phone repeatedly. Let your voice count... for the voiceless and those who can't defend themselves but count on us to protect them: our children.

Andre Lefebvre
webmaster

=---=0=---=

Honourable Michael G. Baker (PC)

Business Address:

Department of Justice
4th Floor, Terminal Building
5151 Terminal Road
P.O. Box 7
Halifax, NS B3J 2L6

Phone: (902) 424-4044
Fax: (902) 424-0510

bakermg@gov.ns.ca

Constituency Office:

10 Pelham Street
PO Box 315
Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0

Phone: (902) 634-4199 (Lunenburg)
Fax: (902) 634-4652 (Lunenburg)
Phone:(902) 644-2248 (New Germany)

michaelbakermla@ns.sympatico.ca

Honourable John F. Hamm (PC)

Business Address:

Office of the Premier
7th Floor, One Government Place
1645 Granville Street
PO Box 726
Halifax, NS B3J 2T3

Phone: (902) 424-6600
Fax: (902) 424-7648

premier@gov.ns.ca

Constituency Office:

Celtic Place
151 Provost Street, Suite 102
New Glasgow, NS B2H 2P6

Phone: (902) 755-4266
Fax: (902) 752-1549

PC Caucus Office:

Centennial Building
Suite 805
1645 Granville Street
Halifax, NS
B3J 1X3

Tel: (902)-424-2731
Toll Free: 1-800-363-1998
Fax: (902)-424-7484

E-Mail:
pcoweb@gov.ns.ca

Nova Scotia NDP Caucus/Leader's Office

Centennial Building
Suite 1001, 1660 Hollis Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1V7

Toll Free: 1-888-247-0448
(902) 424-4134
(902) 424-0504 (fax)

ndpcaucus@gov.ns.ca

Nova Scotia New Democratic Party

Suite 510, 5670 Spring Garden Road,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1H6

Toll Free: 1-800-753-7696
(902) 423-9217
(902) 423-9618 (fax)

nsndp@ns.ndp.ca

Elizabeth Fry :: Women in Prison

2005-06-02T17:36:00.000-04:00

Here is something I found on the Elizabeth Fry's website (she actually was born on May 21st, the first day of Carline's campaign to obtain a public inquiry).

We have to invite the Elizabeth Fry foundaiton to look into Carline's conditions in the Darmouth jail, because these conditions are being extremely abusive, and we, those who care about her, are concerned that they are detrimental to her health in a way that is not serving justice, but reflects further abuse from the very system she is inviting to transparence. (Andre)

WOMEN IN PRISON

· Notwithstanding their relatively low risk to the community in comparison with men, federally sentenced women as a group are, and have historically been, subject to more disadvantaged treatment and more restrictive conditions of confinement than men.

· In 2002-2003, for a population of 376 women, there were 265 admissions to administrative segregation, of which 83 were for a period of more than 10 days. This typifies the intransigence of correctional authorities when it comes to adherence to the law. Segregation can only be exercised where there is no other reasonable alternative to isolating a prisoner (pursuant to section 31 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act).

· The Canadian Human Rights Commission found correctional practices violate the human rights of women prisoners and a profound discriminatory impact was recognized since women are more deeply affected by segregation than are men. Women tend to experience segregation as rejection, abandonment, invisibility and denial of their existence. Segregation does not further women’s rehabilitation and it often jeopardizes a woman’s safety and mental health.

· The more the human rights and Charter protected rights of women prisoners are violated, the more likely it is that the conditions of confinement to which women prisoners are subjected will create situations that interfere with the safety of women prisoners, as well as with the staff within the women’s prisons.
In 2001-2002, more than 4 of 10 priority complaints and grievances (those considered to have a significant impact on a prisoner’s rights and freedoms) were NOT processed within established time frames.

· Although many reports, from the Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women, the Arbour Commission, the Auditor General, the Public Accounts Committee, the Correctional Investigator and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, have demonstrated that women prisoners pose a low security risk and are less likely to return to prison for new charges, the Correctional Service of Canada continues, for the most part, to use the same risk and needs assessment tools for both populations.

· Separation from their children and the inability to deal with problems concerning them are major anxieties for women in prison.

· Reflective of the types of crimes that women commit those found guilty in court are more likely than men to be sentenced to prison. For example, 25% of men versus 37% of women are jailed for theft.

Materials Referenced

Juristat. Statistics Canada, Adult Criminal Court Statistics 2002/2003.

The Correctional Investigator Canada. Annual Report of the Correctional Investigator 2003-2004. Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2003.

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. Submission to the Canadian Human Rights Commission for the Special Report on the Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Race and Disability faced by Federally Sentenced Women. Ottawa: CAEFS, 2003.

Canadian Human Rights Commission. Protecting Their Rights : A Systematic review of Human Rights in Correctional Services for Federally Sentenced Women. Ottawa: The Canadian Human Rights Commission, 2003.

Native Women’s Association of Canada. Position on the Human Rights Complaint on Federally Sentenced Women. Ottawa: NWAC, 2003.

Webster, Cheryl Marie and Anthony N. Doob. “Classification without Validity or Equity: An Empirical Examination of the Custody Rating Scale for Federally Sentenced Women Offenders (sic) in Canada”. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Volume 46, Number 4, July 2004.

Auditor General Canada. Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the House of Commons. Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2003.

OPEN LETTER: One Million Missing Children

2005-06-01T18:44:00.000-04:00

Connie Brauer and Vic Harris
June 1st, 2005

CALL A PUBLIC INQUIRY OR CALL IT QUITS!

Warning! NS is not safe for families! It has now been 376 days since the ER seized 5 month old, nursing child, Mona-Clare from her parents. Carline VandenElsen and Larry Finck are presently incarcerated for refusing to give up their child to NS
Children's Aid.

A 67 hour stand off resulted in May 21, 2004, after the police bashed in their door and attempted to seize their child after midnight. Yes, a warning shot was fired from the home, however no one was hurt. NS has permananently harmed this family, however. The child was supposed to be seized temporarily but it has been 376 days since she felt the love of her family. How do you explain this to her? How can NS ever make it up to her?

We demand a public inquiry, immediate release of Carline VandenElsen and Larry Finck and the immediate return of Mona-Clare to her parents, without any restrictions. This family has been tortured and terrorized for a lot longer than 376 days. It started when a NS pediatric doctor, broke a doctor-patient confidentiality and called the Children's Aid Society to voice concerns because the mom wanted to have a home birth. Imagine! Home births are legal in NS. Children's Aid immediately issued an apprehension order for the child that wasn't even born yet. The reason, future harm, is so vague and unsubstantiated, as to be meaningless. The doctor, realizing
that her concerns were invalid, called the Children's Aid Society but they had already started the ball rolling to seize the child. Nothing was going to stop them. Why?

What followed is sheer torture. The Halifax Regional Police spent months stalking the family, then finally on May 21, 2004, bashed in their door with a battering ram. They were armed with machine guns, helmets and kevlar vests. No negotiation. No assurances of no harm.

The grandmother, Mona Finck, died during the stand off. She died fighting for her children. Father and Mother were arrested. Child taken into custody. Since then it has been an endless round of court cases, incarceration, lack of proper food, lack of lawyers, lack of materials to defend

themselves with and a huge lack of accountability by the very people in charge, the ELECTED politicians. Remember who you work for.

Carline VandenElsen has declared she will die in prison if there is no public inquiry. She is starving for the children. Larry Finck has already served 376 days in prison. His crime? Defending his family. Refusing to give up. Both Carline and
Larry are fighters and that's the problem. They are being punished mercilessly for
fighting for their family. Who wouldn't ? What would you have done?

How many other families have been ripped apart and destroyed by this Family Law System? How many other families have been systematically denied their Charter of Rights?

Most certainly, Ms. VandenElsen, Mr Finck, Ms Finck (deceased) and Mona-Clare have been violated. Section 7 of the Charter states: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the security of the person, and the right not to be deprived thereof
except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice." The Charter is a fantastic piece of legislation. It provides every person in Canada with rights and
freedoms.

Section 52 states: "The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect." Every government entity must abide by the Charter.

So, Mr. Baker, bring on the inquiry! Let's find out what is really happening here. If you have nothing to hide, you will hide nothing. You must have something to hide. What? How much money has it cost NS taxpayers to prevent parents from having their own children? Millions!

Mr. Hamm, Mr Baker and Mr. Morse have had 376 days to call a public inquiry. They have sat on their hands for 376 days and looked the other away. "Who me? No can do, It's before the courts." The standard anwer for all politicians to do ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING and evade everything.

Well no more!

We, the people, want a public inquiry into not only this case but the whole system, right here, right now or quit! If you are not working for the people, we don't want you. Quit! Resign! Call an election and let a real man or woman do the job, that you are being paid to do but aren't.

The Finck/VandenElsen case is being heard around the world. NS is now known for being like the Wild Wild West. Shoot em ups! Snatch and Grab. Throw them in jail. Keep them quiet. Lawlessness in the streets. Unsafe at any costs. A judge gets a very large promotion, while approving an apprehension application that should have been firmly dismissed. No one accountable, especially not the government of Ns!

A comparison was done with modern Children's Aid tactics and the Hitler youth. They are identical.This is what they did during Hitler's reign.

They consist of unlimited power of the Children's Aid, same as in NS. Approved apprehension orders by judges. Same as in NS. Smash and grabs after midnight. Same as in NS. Incarceration of the parents, should they resist. Same as in NS. All justified in the best interests of the child. Same as in NS.

What in God's name has happened here?

Has anyone asked Mona-Clare? Is this in her best interests? No!

Get in or get out, Mr. Hamm, Mr. Baker and Mr. Morse. Prepare for the truth.

We are Justice Inc. , a human rights group, compiling a database of One Million Missing Children. If you are a victim of the Family Law Industry and have been deprived of your children, either by Children's Aid or the Divorce System, call us. 902.798.5267 We want you on our list. Currently there is no database of victims, but there is going to be now. Ask for Connie or Vic or send an email to cbrauer@lincsat.com Subject: One Million Missing Children

Get in or get out! You can't handle the truth!

Connie Brauer and Vic Harris
Justice, Inc. 902.798.5267
http://justiceforparents.blogspot.com/
Full time human rights activists.
Compiling a database of One Million Missing Children.
cbrauer@lincsat.com

UPDATE: May 31st, 2005

2005-05-31T23:47:00.000-04:00

I heard from Carline last night. She said that they are no longer giving her Ensure- the fortified drink that they started to give her and that she felt comfortable taking.

Also, two disturbing points:
1. Carline has made a declaration or a living will naming Larry as the person responsible for her if she in a position where she is no longer able to make decisions. Because of her religious beliefs,she wants to be kept alive by all means available. Christopher Coffin from corrections told her that it is unlikely that they will be able to contact Larry in time even though he is right there in the same building. She is very leary of what may happen if they hook her up to an IV drip. She is fearful of what they may put through the drip, particularly psycotropic medications.

2. On Thursday there is an Appeal of the bail hearing outside of the family court where Justice Debra Smith is sitting. Larry asked for an hour or two recess to attend the Appeal. Justice Smith refused the request. This means that the Appeal will proceed without either Larry or Carline present.

Marilyn

COMMENTS PAGE

2005-05-30T11:13:00.000-04:00

To leave a comment regarding Mona Clare Finck and the Children's Aid Society in Nova Scotia, please go to this site: COMMENTS PAGE.

If you are a person who has a similar story of abuse, we encourage you to share it here, or use this email address : andrelef@hotmail.com and send it to us if you are comfortable with it.

Regards,

Andre Lefebvre

"No Public Inquiry..."

2005-05-29T13:24:00.000-04:00

No Public Inquiry into Carline VandenElsen Case Justice
May 20, 2005 16:55

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Justice Minister Michael Baker said today, May 20, that unless new information becomes available, he has no plans to call a public inquiry as requested by Carline VandenElsen.

"We will be monitoring Ms. VandenElsen carefully. We will do what we can to make sure that Ms. VandenElsen’s health is not jeopardized by her actions," said Mr. Baker, "However, based on the information we have at the present time, the Department of Justice does not feel that a public inquiry is warranted."

-30-

Contact: Carla Grant
Department of Justice
902-424-6282
E-mail: grantc@gov.ns.ca

COMPARING NOTES

2005-05-26T18:28:00.000-04:00

Here is an excerpt from a Halifax newspaper which quotes Sean Kelly, superintendent of the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility. It is interesting to compare this to Carline's and locals updates...

[Standoff mom says she’ll starve herself
By Peter McLaughlin
The Daily News - Halifax
May 21, 2005

Sean Kelly, superintendent of the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility, said jail officials have not yet been told that VandenElsen plans to starve herself.

He said officials won’t try to stop her, but they will keep a close eye on her health and counsel her of the dangers.

“The protocol is that we’ll monitor them in terms of their food intake, we would monitor their weight just to make sure they are not suffering health-wise from malnourishment,” said Kelly.

He said hunger strikes occur about once a year at the correctional centre.

Baker said yesterday he has no plans to call an inquiry into VandenElsen’s case.

“We will do what we can to make sure Ms. VandenElsen’s health is not jeopardized by her actions,” he said.

“However, based on the information we have at the present time, the Department of Justice does not feel that a public inquiry is warranted.”]

Read the whole story: HERE.

Now, compare notes with today's update on this site...

Another UPDATE: May 26 2005

2005-05-26T13:08:00.001-04:00

From Marilyn D. in Halifax:

It seems the custody case was delayed again. It appears they do whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it.

I have a five pages reply from Carline I want to get to the blog. The latest update is that Sean Kelly, superintendent of corrections is lying through his teeth--they are not giving Carline any fortified liquids. It seems she gets water, a glass of milk, a glass of juice, and unlimited coffee.

I'm not sure if she is mush of a coffee drinker. She said she can now slip her pants off without opening the zipper! Yikes!

She was on the stand all day yesterday, being questioned by an atorney for the Atorney General. She did a great job and held her own. She is amazing and incredilby strong physically and mentally. Carline and Larry will be meeting together in the court to prepare for another hearing tomorrow to deal with one of the key issues in this whole child apprehension deal -- the constitutional question -- is a court ordered assessment a violation of the Constutional rights, and along with that are the assessments a violation of the Constitution?

This will all come before J.Smith on Friday. this is a major battle because this is what the system uses to keep the child once they do the grab.

What we need to counter this is reference to any other court cases that have dealt with the issue of "assessments". I don't know how they will be able to do much because they are stuck in the court and have no access to the law library, etc.

If anyone can look up court files and find cases referring to "assessments" - psychological, psychiatric, mental, parental, forensic, etc., please send the references.

Another point - - No one knows why they took Mona Clare in the first place. Barbara MacPherson of Children"s Aid said in court that it was because there was a "court order"!!

Today"s Halifax Herald has a front page article about the response from Carline. Hope it can get on the blog.

(It is. SEE: VandenElsen still not eating; living will puts Finck in charge )

Another UPDATE: May 26 2005

2005-05-26T13:08:00.000-04:00

From Marilyn D. in Halifax:

It seems the custody case was delayed again. It appears they do whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it.

I have a five pages reply from Carline I want to get to the blog. The latest update is that Sean Kelly, superintendent of corrections is lying through his teeth--they are not giving Carline any fortified liquids. It seems she gets water, a glass of milk, a glass of juice, and unlimited coffee.

I'm not sure if she is mush of a coffee drinker. She said she can now slip her pants off without opening the zipper! Yikes!

She was on the stand all day yesterday, being questioned by an atorney for the Atorney General. She did a great job and held her own. She is amazing and incredilby strong physically and mentally. Carline and Larry will be meeting together in the court to prepare for another hearing tomorrow to deal with one of the key issues in this whole child apprehension deal -- the constitutional question -- is a court ordered assessment a violation of the Constutional rights, and along with that are the assessments a violation of the Constitution?

This will all come before J.Smith on Friday. this is a major battle because this is what the system uses to keep the child once they do the grab.

What we need to counter this is reference to any other court cases that have dealt with the issue of "assessments". I don't know how they will be able to do much because they are stuck in the court and have no access to the law library, etc.

If anyone can look up court files and find cases referring to "assessments" - psychological, psychiatric, mental, parental, forensic, etc., please send the references.

Another point - - No one knows why they took Mona Clare in the first place. Barbara MacPherson of Children"s Aid said in court that it was because there was a "court order"!!

Today"s Halifax Herald has a front page article about the response from Carline. Hope it can get on the blog. SEE: VandenElsen still not eating; living will puts Finck in charge

UPDATE: May 26, 2005

2005-05-26T12:31:00.000-04:00

Jail situation:

She is not receiving health care that she has requested

She has not been given additional nutritional supliments

She has not been given the mattress that is appropriate for her back condition

They have been limiting her liquids

She is being refused couselling and for some obscure reason she has been disallowed to even attend church services

Carol Bast

POEM: Mona Clare

2005-05-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

Mona Clare

Where is Mona Clare?
It seems as if she has disappeared.
She is not with her mother, nor with her father,
But in the hands of people who do not even care.

At only five months old,
She was snatched from her mother's arms
And placed into a foster home
Because her parents refused to do what they were told.

When her family peacefully slept,
One night late last May,
Her house was charged with a battering ram,
But authorities at bay were kept.

Her parents resisted with all their might
And a warning shot was fired.
In an effort to save their only child left,
They would not give her up without a fight.

The heart of her loving grandmother failed,
Since her family was terrorized for three mights and days.
Her mother was tasered, her father too.
Protecting their baby, they found themselves jailed.

Since the apprehension, she has never been seen again.
We are told "It is in the best interest of the child",
While her mother resists with paper and pen.
If she will come back, we are all wondering when.

By Kumari Dey
15 years old

UPDATE: May 25th

2005-05-25T22:16:00.000-04:00

Hi Evangeline,

Is it true that Mona-Clare is in her second foster home already?

Thanks,

Andre

-------

Yes that is the latest reports of Mona-Clare. Also she is being housed with a number of other children that are not well (at the time of the report) and she has had $500 in medications herself.

That's true unless in fact she has already been sold and removed even out of the country as [a lawyer] and "amaicus curiae" who sits in the Family Court beside Carline and Larry suggested could be the case.

Today, was the sixth day that the parents were in court arguing the constitutionality of the State trying to compell parents to submit to mental assessments when the State has no other reason to go after the baby that justifies taking the baby.

Of course the same State going after the child provides the assessment services
(usually there is no other services and only those in the city and none outside the province or country allowed, but even so, why if not all parents must submit should certain ones do?) and of course 85% fail the assessment justifying child grab.

Carline and Larry are arguing that if all parents are not compelled to be assessed then their equal rights are violated.

Evangeline

Update: May 22nd 2005

2005-05-22T01:57:00.000-04:00

Here is a brief update from a friend who met with Carline today in jail in Halifax:

- She looks less stressed than when the jury verdict came down.
- "Starving for the Children" is not just a personal effort, but for all the children in Nova Scotia.
- She can have one visit a week.
- Next week, a local reporter, Elizabeth Chiu is going to try to see her.
- "Starving for the Children" started on Saturday morning and she is taking liquids (more than water).
- She has written a living will and she wants intervention to be kept alive.
- She has given power of attorney to Larry.
- She feels that the authorities are punishing her because they are keeping her in solitary confinement.
- The visit is by telephone and through the glass.
- Carline gave some statements that we will try to get out tomorrow.

Andre

PRESS RELEASE about the campaign

2005-05-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

PRESS RELEASE

Mona -Clare was a 5 month old, happy,healthy nursing infant at the time she was seized by police in Halifax after they attempted to break into her grandmother’s home in the middle of the night with a battering ram and machine gun.

Police claim they were enforcing an apprehension order for the Children’s Aid Society of Halifax.

May 21st marks the 1st anniversary of the death of 79 year old Mona Mary Finck and the disappearance of baby Mona-Clara.

Her parents Carline VandenElsen and Lawrence Finck were recently convicted for abducting their baby and face years of imprisonment for allegedly depriving state authorities of her custody.

No one has explained the apprehension order or why the Children’s Aid Society went after Mona-Clare when she was yet a fetus.

VandenElsen will begin a “STARVING FOR THE CHILDREN” campaign and will not eat until Premier John Hamm and Justice Minister Michael Baker agree to investigate the actions of police and child welfare authorities, and the disappearance of her baby.

She urges the public to demand why hundreds of millions of tax dollars have been expended to fell her family. She feels no child, parent or family member should suffer such intolerable pain , suffering and exploitation.

VandenElsen and Finck believe that thousands of children across Canada are being criminally abused by state authorities and lawyers in a multi billion dollar family law industry and it MUST STOP.

Carline VandenElsen
Mother

May 19, 2005

:: LET YOUR VOICE BE SEEN! ::

2005-05-21T03:06:00.000-04:00

Here are a few banners you can use on your site to show your support for Carline so she does not have to starve herself to death before Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm and Nova Scotia Justice Minister Michael Baker agree to a public inquiry.

These banners link to this site which links to Carline's friends weblog as well as the ONLINE Petition. Simply copy and paste the corresponding HTML code on your web page (ask your webmaster if you don't know how).

BLUE

GOLD

GRAY

SMALLER