"Maybe leave the kids at home?" The headline for the June 3, 2010 Globe and Mail article detailed the unexpected presence of the Children's Aid Society (CAS) at the G20 protests, a 24-hour-a-day "collaborative partnership" with Toronto's four CAS organizations and the Integrated Security Unit.
That article described scenarios of a parent arrested or children lost in the crowds. In the article, CAS spokesperson Dave Fleming explained that if involved, "our focus will always be for a child to go with a relative, but that's not always possible."
It undoubtedly created a sense of unease, the presence of the CAS felt as a threat to our most vulnerable ranks, parents and children. It left those with children wondering why CAS would be present at G20 protests.
