Every week there is another heinous crime committed against a human being by another human being.  A crime - theft, kidnapping, rape and murder -all punishable by law.  But what happens when these crimes are sanctioned by the very government that is supposed to protect us, the  government that is expected to look out for our best interests? What happens when your government forces their way into your home, takes your children and turns all of your lives asunder?  No, I'm not talking about Iraq, and I'm not talking about Europe during the Nazi occupation - I'm talking about Canada - about us - in the here and now.  Of course, this is nothing new - many survivors of the Residential Homes will recount the horrors of being taken against their will, removed from their families, and placed into facilities where they were told to deny their heritage, where they were mercilessly abused - physically, sexually, and emotionally - no one to hear their cries or come to their aid.  Many of these survivors are in their 50's and 60's - some even older - yet even with years, decades, between them and these atrocities,  many cannot forget the living nightmare that was forced upon them - a nightmare that has haunted them throughout their entire lives.
Although these residential homes have been closed for many years, they have been replaced by group homes, and foster homes - where it seems the same old rules apply.  Someone phones with an ambiguous complaint, like the child has a bruise, or a dirty shirt...and the ministry descends on the family like locusts...they make a small issue or misunderstanding out to be a major protection issue.  Such is the case where my son is concerned.  He is 18 years old - and he is autistic.  He has some medical issues that involve IBS and related matters.  While I have explained this over and over to schools, social workers et al, provided reports from doctors and specialists,  no one seems to have a firm grasp on the situation, or it's manifestations.  So they call the ministry, who blows it out of proportion - who make it seem like I'm neglecting to keep him clean, when actually, the opposite holds true.  They exaggerate, ad lib, and outright lie.  I had run out of pullups for 2 days, and had to keep my son out of school for those two days.  The ministry has somehow translated 2 days into a month...I had cancelled a couple of appointments with a guy who they sent to help with the house - they said I cancelled 'a bunch of appointments'...I only met him 3 weeks ago!  They have basically threatened to remove my son from my home if I don't do what they say...but my concern is this: even if I do what they want, they could still lie and say I didn't ...because again, that's what they do - they lie.
My son has been with us his whole life, and I can't imagine what it would do to him to suddenly be removed from everything he knows at this stage.  Pervasive conditions like autism are not easy to deal with for anyone.  His medical issues are not going to go away if he is in another home - and neither will his autism.  In fact, because people with this condition need to have a structured schedule in order to function, removing him now would be met with negative consequences - for him.  Moreover, he wouldn't understand what was happening, he wouldn't know why he was unable to go home, where he is happy...among my fears regarding that scenario are him thinking we didn't want him, or trying to go home, and ending up hurt, or lost...or suffering abuse at the hands of his 'guardians'.  Just thinking about it makes me feel physically ill. 
Most parents lament about how their kids are growing too fast, and how they would like to keep them children for just a little longer - I, on the other hand, can hardly wait until my son's 19th birthday so that I can get this agency off of our backs...Indeed, my son is in need of protection - but not from me - from MCFD...and I hope, with all my heart and soul, that I don't let him down...I hope I can keep the monsters at bay.