See also: Formal Complaint Filed by Flora L’Heureux

August 9, 2007

via Facsimile (780) 415-9411

The Honourable Mr. Greg Melchin,

Minister Seniors and Community Support Services

Alberta Legislature Building

Please consider this a Complaint against the Office of the Public Guardian.

We were appalled and shocked to learn that there was failure by your Office to investigate the 14 page Complaint made by Flora L’Heureux DAO3 12536, against the Office of the Public Guardian, which was sent to your Office by registered mail. We have now learned that the non-investigated Complaint has been forwarded to the Office of the Public Guardian and is now in the hands of the Public Guardian Director, Brenda Lee Doyle.

On July 11, 2007 @ 2:00 PM, Shirley Peleshytyk Public Guardian Representative at a meeting with Flora L’Heureux called by Peleshytyk, asked Flora L’Heureux to meet with Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, the physician at Lynwood Nursing Home, because they: “need a form I to go to court” (attached).

Ms. Peleshytyk, said that they have to go back to court, they: “cannot avoid the court”.

Later during the same conversation she again reiterated, “We need a Form I, signed by the doctor”.

During a further visit, August 1, 2007, @ 2:30 PM, called by the Director of the Office of the Public Guardian, Brenda Lee Doyle, who questioned Ms. L’Heureux a number of times as to whether she had met with the doctor. Ms. L’Heureux firmly responded a number of times that she had not!

We reiterate that Pat Henderson, Lawyer for the Public Guardian has published that she would “never let her (Flora L’Heureux) go”.

We have placed a complaint before the Law Society of Alberta against Pat Henderson who was untruthful during the November 6, 2006 court hearing and consistently throughout, mislead the court. She stated to the court: “There is no evidence…that there is any capacity”.

This is in regard to Flora L’Heureux who was given an award for her performance at the Norquest College, where she attended last semester.

It would appear, that there is a strong attempt by the Office of the Public Guardian to predetermine the proposed outcome and achieve the desired outcome of the Guardian Office.

Thank you. We shall be awaiting a reply and be grateful to be in receipt of such reply in regard to this most serious issue by the 20th of August, 2007.

Elder Advocates Of Alberta Society

cc.

The Honourable Mr. Ron Stevens, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

The Honourable Mr. Dave Hancock, Minister of Health & Wellness

Dr. Kevin Taft, MLA, Leader of the Official Opposition

Mr. Brian Mason, Leader of the Alberta New Democrat Party

Dr. Gerry Schwalfenburg M.D.

Ms. Flora L’Heureux

Click to Enlarge Pages

Response

Letter

April 3, 2008

Via Facsimile 780 415 9411
Letter to follow.

The Honourable Ms. Mary Anne Jablonski
Minister Seniors and Community Support Services
#227, Alberta Legislature Building

Dear Madame:

We welcome you to your new Portfolio, it is indeed a massive portfolio.

Please note the attached correspondence, dated September 19, 2007 received from the Honourable Mr. Greg Melchin, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports. The correspondence relates to our correspondence of August 9th, 2007 and July 10th, 2007 (correspondence attached).

We find the response of the Honourable Mr. Greg Melchin unacceptable.

The Honourable Mr. Melchin failed to investigate the 14 page Complaint made by Flora L’Heureux DAO3 12536 May 15, 2007, and handed it over to the Office of the Public Guardian, the persons about whom Ms. L’Heureux had made the complaint. We perceive that as relying, with full trust and confidence, in those who are alleged to be the offenders.

We respectfully ask that this matter be fairly and honourably investigated and dealt with.

Thank you. We shall be awaiting your reply and be grateful to be in receipt of
such reply in regard to this most serious issue by the 20th of April, 2008.

Elder Advocates Of Alberta Society

c.c. Ms. Flora L’Heureux
Attachments

• (See Report on Flora L’Heureux)
• The following letter:

HAND DELIVERED

July 10, 2007

The Office of the Honourable Mr. Greg Melchin CA,
Minister Seniors and Community Support Services

Attention:
Ms. Pam Livingston,
Executive Assistant to the Minister:

Re: Ms. Flora L’Heureux

We appreciate your communication with our office. Further to our conversation of Friday afternoon, July 6th, 2007 we wish to restate the facts which we presented to you at that time.

• May 9, 2007, a registered letter and an eleven page complaint, alleging mistreatment of Ms. L’Heureux by the Office of the Public Guardian, was sent to the Honourable Mr. Greg Melchin (attached.)
• A trivializing letter dated May 30, 2007 was received from the Office of the Minister which failed to acknowledge the complaint and referred to the serious allegations as “concerns”, (attached.)
• June 4, 2007, Ms. L’Heureux hand delivered a letter to the Legislature, which stated, “After calls to your office . . . a registered letter and 11 page complaint against the Office of the Public Guardian . . . I expect a response from you in which you address all my complaints against the Office of the Public Guardian.” (attached).
• However despite this massive, articulated complaint to the Minister, it strongly appears that no investigation has been initiated. Rather, Ms. L’Heureux is being investigated and continues to be harassed by those about whom she has made the complaint. The following has resulted:

1. • Shortly after Ms. L’Heureux’s June 4, 2007 letter which had been hand delivered to the Minister, Ms. Barb Fraser, Public Guardian Officer, informed L’Heureux by phone, that by mid June, Fraser will apply to the court to renew the Guardianship Order of Ms. L’Heureux. (Had Fraser not been informed of the massive complaint that had been made against her and the Office of the Public Guardian?) Or, had she been informed and been given the green light by those in the minister’s Office to bring Flora L’Heureux into line. This public advocate further informed (threatened) L’Heureux, that if she fails to attend at the court, she will be subpoenaed.
   • July 5/07, two persons from the O.T. at Lynwood Nursing Home, with out warning, came to her room intending to assess her. They entered, there are no locks on the door, she was stripped to the waist preparing to wash.
   • July 10/07, Tuesday @ 2:00 PM, Ms. Shirley Peleshytyk, Public Guardian Officer (whom Ms. L’Heureux, has never met) informed L’Heureux by phone that she will attend for a meeting with L’Heureux, agenda not stated.
   • July 11/07, Wednesday, Ms. Barb Fraser, Public Guardian Officer, informed Ms. L’Heureux of an intended meeting with all nursing home staff including the pharmacist, intended agenda not stated. When Ms. L’Heureux expressed that she wished to have a friend/s or advocate/s present, it was refused, she was told,”No”.
2. Lawyer Pat Henderson has stated publicly that she will “never let Flora go”.
3. Lawyer Pat Henderson has stated publicly, that the Elder Advocates of Alberta Society are: “crooks” who act surreptitiously towards elderly persons. Two hand delivered letters to Ms. Henderson, failed to elicit a denial from the lady (attached, letters dated November 27/06 & December 5/06)
4. We have now learned how the Office of the Public Guardian tampers with, manipulates competency assessments in order to make it appear that Flora L’Heureux has a low score and is therefore portrayed as not being cognitively alert. This also helps to explain why the eminent Gerontologist, Dr. Skelton, strongly reversed his decision to declare Flora competent after he received material from the Public Guardian. Flora was never privy to the damning material which the Office of the Guardian forwarded to Dr. Skelton. Why?
5. We are attaching the March 12/98 assessment of Dr.Roland Ikuta which cites a 25/30 min-mental score. He found her cognitively alert. He states in Paragraph 2, page 2, “The most likely explanation for this degree of fluctuation in both cognitive and physical abilities relates to medication mismanagement”.
6. We are attaching the August 15, 2007 assessment of Dr. David Skelton which cites a 27/30 score.
7. Re: Ms. L’Heureux’s Trustees: It is troubling that though it was recommended to Ms. L’Heureux’s trustees by Norquest College that Ms. L;Heureux be set up with a home computer, this has been denied to her. It appears that she is treated with disregard & contempt for her rights. Correspondence dated April 18/07 attached.

Please note the account of Flora L’Heureux, on our website under the heading Dependant Adult Issues.

Thank you.

Elder Advocates Of Alberta Society

c.c. Flora L’Heureux

Response

Tags: Brian Mason, Dave Hancock, Flora l'Heureux, Greg Melchin, Kevin Taft, Office of the Public Guardian, Ron Stevens