Officials with Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Child and Family Services say they are reviewing their next steps after the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services confirmed that a letter opposing a proposed residential care home in Prince Albert was fraudulent.
The letter referenced during a City of Prince Albert council debate suggested there were already more than 30 residential care homes operating in Prince Albert, along with roughly 80 foster homes in the surrounding area children from the city and northern communities. It raised questions about the need for an additional residential care home at the Linner Lane location, and whether Prince Albert needed more care homes at all.
In an emailed statement to the Herald on Wednesday, the ministry said the letter had been falsely attributed to the department and has been reported to local law enforcement.
“The Ministry of Social Services did not issue the letter. The letter impersonates a government official and was reported to the Prince Albert Police,” the statement said.
The ministry added the document was electronically generated on letterhead that was not authentic ministry letterhead and was not sent through the Government of Saskatchewan’s internal mail system. The letter was also unsigned and contained information that was factually inaccurate.
The unclear correspondence was mentioned during the debate at a Feb. 23 Prince Albert city council meeting involving a discretionary use permit application for a property at 35 Linner Lane.
Councillors ultimately voted 5-4 to deny the permit, which would have allowed Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Child and Family Services to operate a short term residential care home for children at the location. Council also directed administration to investigate the letter after its authenticity could not be confirmed.
The issue was later discussed during a March 2 executive committee meeting, where administration reported that the ministry had confirmed the document was not genuine.
City officials said three copies of the letter had been received by mail and addressed to the mayor’s office, Ward 6 Coun. Stephen Ring and the city clerk’s office before being included with the council agenda. Ring said during Monday’s executive committee meeting that he did not receive a copy of the letter.
Ahtahkakoop officials say the proposed home was intended to serve as an emergency receiving placement for very young children entering care.
Lisa Antoine, property manager with Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Child and Family Services, said the facility was designed to provide immediate temporary care for children removed from unsafe situations.
“Receiving care is just when our workers are working overnight, and an example is if they got a call three in the morning apprehend a child. We don’t have foster homes prepared for three in the morning drop off, so therefore, we just thought it would be more suitable to have a receiving home for some place for the child to be transported to,” Antoine said.
She said the home would primarily serve infants and young children until longer term arrangements could be made.
Virginia Ledoux, protection manager with the organization, said emergency receiving homes provide short term placements while social workers determine next steps for children entering care.
Ledoux said situations involving children entering care can happen suddenly and often outside normal working hours.
“Well, we would be looking at all their needs with the needs when they are removed from their family home, for whatever, for protection, safety, we would have them in a safe place in the interim, while we work with the family, and we would provide it be providing all the basic aspects of what we consider the mental health, the education, if they’re old enough.”
Ledoux said placements in emergency receiving homes typically last around 15 days while workers assess family situations and arrange appropriate care.
“It’s a receiving you know, you know that you never you hope that you know they don’t go longer than at the most, like emergency home is 15 days emergency care.”
Ledoux also added that emergency receiving homes help stabilize situations while families and support services work toward longer term solutions.
The proposed facility had been planned for a home on Linner Lane and the organization had already completed renovations on the property prior to submitting the application.
Ledoux said the house had previously been used as a residence and required repairs after flooding. Following renovations, she said the condition of the property had noticeably improved and one of the neighbours attempted to make an offer on the property.
“We fixed our home. It’s really beautiful. In fact, one of the neighbors is trying to buy it. And I said, I don’t think so,” she said. “After what we went through to fix it. Took us over a year in. We went through fire and flood, and they renovated it. We fixed the whatever was.”
Ledoux said the goal of the program was to ensure children entering care had a safe and supportive environment during what can be a stressful transition.
Following council’s decision and the confirmation that the letter was fraudulent, Ledoux said the organization is now discussing what steps it may take next.
“We’re in meeting with our legal advisors, so we’re actually having a meeting on the 18th, so we’ll know how we’re going to move forward.”
The Ministry of Social Services said it remains responsible for licensing and monitoring residential group homes that provide services for children and youth in care.
The ministry added it continues to work with Indigenous and community based organizations to ensure safe and appropriate care options are available for children and youth in Prince Albert.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
