A visit by Minister of Community and Social Services Dr. Helena Jaczek Oct. 16 brought a vivid reminder of the degradation suffered by thousands of residents of Ontario’s regional centre mental health care system.
Following her dedication of a plaque commemorating residents of the Southwest Regional Centre from 1961 to 2008, a media conference was interrupted by a former resident named Mike who wanted to tell his story.
The minister listened briefly to the man’s stories of beatings and the use of cattle prods on residents, before he was ushered away.
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Visibly moved, Jaczek said the stories reinforced how important it is to recognize the failure in the system that she said was created with the “best intentions.”
Jaczek said the settlement reached with residents last December contains a formal apology that was read in the Legislature by Premier Kathleen Wynne, $12 million in compensation for residents and the preservation of documents produced during the lawsuit.
She said it represents lessons learned and the pain and suffering of residents has resulted in changes that bring those with intellectual disabilities out of facilities and into the community wherever possible.
She praised Community Living Chatham-Kent as an example of progress, noting the Parkfield Restaurant and associated workshop opportunities.
Thursday represented a far different atmosphere than the one Mike endured in a part of his life he wants to forget but can’t.
Admitted as a child in 1961, Mike spoke of decades-old abuse that still effects him today.
“I couldn’t talk about it – most of us don’t talk about it but I can’t forget it,” he said. “I didn’t think anyone cared.
“Big mouths get punched,” he remembers being told when he dared to raise a question about dinner. “They told us they didn’t have any more meatballs, but we saw they did and I said they did. I got punched in the face.”
With the details as vivid as if they had happened yesterday, Mike repeated years-old stories to a reporter.
The Windsor resident, who travelled to Chatham to take part in the dedication, spoke in fear and anger of how the slightest mistake would result in punishment.
“I got strapped with a belt 14 times. That was the number when I did something wrong.”
“When we had showers, they would come in and touch us all over and they would crawl into bed with me and say they were checking for lice. They weren’t checking for lice. That wasn’t right.”
He was told that he was going to learn some work skills.
“They said we were going to learn to milk cows to learn farming but they didn’t want us to milk cows – they wanted us to do the other thing. I wouldn’t, and got punched in the face.”
One visit by a relative changed his life.
“My uncle knew they were beating me and he got me out,” he said. “My mom got mad at him because she said I should be left there because she didn’t want me.”
Finally free of the system, Mike is “doing OK” and has been recognized by a Windsor group for his volunteer work.”
Asked if he thought the minister meant it when she said she was sorry, he replied, “I think so. She’s a good woman.”
Told of that, the minister smiled.
“I am sorry for what happened. I’m glad he knows it.”
Very happy that Mike had an opportunity to speak but it is unfortunate he was escorted out of a dedication ceremony that was intended for him & others like him that suffered such horrific abuse.