Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton Centre, asked the following Question in the Ontario Legislature on October 15, 2008, regarding an unregulated, unlicensed child care where child sexual abuse is alleged to have occurred:

Ms. Andrea Horwath: To the Minister of Children and Youth Services: Last week, two men were arrested for the alleged sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl who stayed at Benevenga Day Care in Etobicoke. Parents in the area simply want to know, why is this child care centre still operating?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Of course we put a huge amount of importance in the safety of our children. When they are in a licensed child care setting, we do everything we can to ensure the safety of our children. We continue to strengthen the child care system; we’ve added spaces and we continue to improve the quality of care in those centres.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, last week it was the principal, Edmonda Gilfillan, of the nearby Venerable John Merlini school, who took it upon herself to send a letter to parents and guardians making them aware of the serious situation: Not this minister, but the principal of a nearby school had to inform the community. The community sees a huge vacuum in the ministry’s monitoring or lack thereof or enforcement or lack thereof of these kinds of unlicensed facilities in the province of Ontario. They’ve asked me to ask this minister, why won’t the McGuinty government close down a child care centre where police allege child abuse has occurred?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: It’s important to note that this is not a licensed child care facility. We, of course, when a centre is licensed, have a very high standard of care. When a centre is unlicensed, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure the safety of their children. So the onus is on parents, when it is an unlicensed facility, to take responsibility.