Manitoba bill allowing information sharing about kids 'critical,' says Sheldon Kennedy

The Manitoba government's plan to allow authorities that work with children in care to share information with each other is being praised by a high-profile advocate.

The province is proposing legislation that, if approved, would allow organizations that provide services to at-risk children — such as Child and Family Services (CFS) agencies, police and schools — to disclose and share personal information with each other when it's in the best interests of a child.

The government says the protecting children (information sharing) act, also known as Bill 8, would allow information to be disclosed and shared about children needing support services, as well as their parents or guardians. Cases that would be covered under the bill include:

• Children in CFS care and those receiving voluntary CFS services.
• Students needing individual education plans.
• Children needing disability services, mental health services, addiction services or victim support services.
• Children in the youth criminal justice system.

Former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, who works in Alberta to prevent child abuse, says he likes the Progressive Conservative government's proposal.

Sheldon Kennedy on Manitoba's Bill 8

8 years ago

Duration 1:36

Former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, who works in Alberta to prevent child abuse, says he likes the Manitoba government's proposal to allow authorities that work with children in care to share information with each other.

"I am convinced that this bill is critical for the protection of children," Kennedy said Thursday, adding that he does not see this as a political issue.

"I look at this as we need to do this in the best interest of our children and families. If the previous party would have announced this, we would have been here too."

Government officials stressed that if Bill 8 is approved, organizations would not be able to disclose more information than what is strictly necessary.

"We limited the amount of information that can be shared and the type of information that can be shared," said Families Minister Scott Fielding.

"We put a regulation capacity in it which basically will dictate how the information is shared in terms of the approach to it. That is something that will be put into legislation, into regulation."

'We need to be better'

Kennedy said a similar law in Alberta has resulted in better care for children, especially the very young.

• Sheldon Kennedy urges Alberta to remove barriers to helping kids in crisis

"The highest percentage of kids that we see are four to seven, so to me, we need to be better," he said.

"I think that the legislation has given us a gift and it's given us the gift to have systemic change and be different and work differently, because fiscally, we can't afford to keep working at the outer layer of the onion knowing what we know."

He added that the Alberta law has reduced wait times for children who need counselling — from eight to two months — and slashed costs.

"We're saving $550,000 a year on man hours alone, on hard costs — not [to mention] the impact we're having by reaching kids and families early, but on hard costs alone," he said.

Kennedy said child-care workers in Alberta had to spend 80 per cent of their time dealing with red tape and 20 per cent working with children, but now that balance of time has reversed.

Also applauding the proposed legislation is Angeline Spence, who was placed in the child welfare system at the age of eight and was removed from her six sisters and three brothers as a result.

"Sharing information is power, especially for a child when they do not have a voice," she said.

"I think that if the system was like that back then, they would try to find a way to let the family stay together — try to use our community and our resources for our people to try to become more healthier."

The government notes that the proposed legislation is in response to a recommendation made in the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry report.