Velvet Martin Honors The Life Of Weslyn Mather

Velvet Martin, a powerful, an international iconic Canadian leader in changing child welfare as we know it, is an individual I highly and deeply respect.

Therefore, I take the time to honor the elected who have honored their oaths of office to protect and serve the innocence of the child, as eloquently presented by Velvet.

My children survived.  Her child did not.

On a mission...

Velvet Martin

10 hrs · 

My heart is heavy today; I’ve just been alerted of the passing of Weslyn Mather. A very special lady, Weslyn was the first politician that I met with genuine conviction to do right by others. I remember reaching out to you just under a decade ago. Weslyn was the shadow Minister for Children’s Services in the Province at that time. I distinctly remember viewing a newscast regarding the fatality of a child and I saw sincere outrage and passion lit within Weslyn’s face. I had also just lost my little girl so I decided to reach out. For the first time, I felt I was being listened to. You were warm, intuitive, and real. An intelligent woman with great integrity who well-understood political bureaucracy, yet did not allow nonsense to limit pursuit of ethical outcome. On my behalf, you helped table issues surrounding children with developmental and medical diversity in the legislature to create distinction between the child welfare model. My goal was to ensure future families would be provided funding for support services directly without coercion over guardianship, nor demand for out of home placement. You helped to establish Samantha's Law improving lives of vulnerable children and preserving rights of families through family-centred care principals. You introduced me to other wonderful individuals such as Dr. David Swann, invited me to politicial events and into your home. I was wowed by your affection for people, none so obvious as the great maternal pride held and demonstration of love for your grandson. The world has lost a tremendous leader.

In sincere respect and with love,

Velvet Martin
Founder of Samantha’s Law
Spokesperson for Protecting Canadian Children

Former Edmonton Liberal MLA Weslyn Mather dies

A 'stalwart in the party,' interim Liberal Leader David Swann says

Former Liberal MLA Weslyn Mather died at her home in Edmonton on Sunday.

"We're really all reeling under this tremendous loss to both her family and her community and to the Liberal Party," interim provincial Liberal Leader David Swann said. "She was a stalwart in the party."

Canadian MLA Weslyn Mather

The former teacher and school counsellor represented the riding of Edmonton-Mill Woods from 2004 until 2008, when she was defeated by PC Carl Benito.  

Mather ran for the Liberals in 2012 but was unsuccessful in reclaiming her seat. She last ran for public office for a seat on the board of trustees at Edmonton Public Schools.

Mather's husband Dick Mather, a former city councillor and chairman of Edmonton Public Schools, died in 1997. Injuries from a car crash in 1972 meant she had to use a wheelchair to get around. 

Mather was the Liberal critic for children and youth services while she was an MLA.  

Her work was praised by Janis Tarchuk, then the department's Progressive Conservative minister, after Mather had lost her seat.

"She was wonderful to work with and a great advocate for the children and families in this province," Tarchuk said during debates of the govenment estimates in May 2008. 

Swann said he and Mather were close. They were first elected in 2004 and sat next to each other in the legislature.

Swann said she died at home. She had developed an infection and it had "got away," he said. 

"It makes it doubly tragic because it would appear that she maybe didn't have the medical care there that she might have needed."

Federal Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr, a former Alberta Liberal MLA, offered a tribute to Mather on Twitter.

"She was a stalwart in the battle for a better Alberta," he said. "She will be missed."

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Unlike Canada, United States Has No Laws Advocating For Children and Families With Disabilities

VELVET MARTIN (Unsung Heroine, Advocate for Children with Disabilities)

When Velvet’s daughter Samantha was born with severe disabilities, she was taken away by the provincial government and put into foster care. But it was that moment that Velvet began her fight for the rights of disabled children and their parents.

In 2007, the provincial government passed “Samantha’s Law,” which gave parents of a disabled child the right to raise that child themselves and have access to the government services they need. This law has gained the attention of other provinces and countries, who wish to model their own laws after it.

Sadly, Samantha died in 2006 at the age of 13 after suffering cardiac arrest. But Velvet’s fight will continue.

Now it is time the United States has similar laws.

Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children by Beverly Tran

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Teen’s heart attack stumped doctors

Could not pinpoint cause, fatality inquiry hears

BY ALEXANDRA ZABJEK, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM JANUARY 18, 2011

EDMONTON — Doctors have never been able to pinpoint why a 13-year-old girl with a rare chromosomal abnormality suffered a fatal heart attack in 2006, a fatality inquiry heard Tuesday.

Samantha Martin appeared to be in good physical condition in the five months she spent living with her biological family in St. Albert before her death, her mother Velvet Martin told the inquiry.

The teenager spent most of her life in a foster home, but was returned to her parents’ care in the months before she died on Dec. 3, 2006. Martin has alleged her daughter was mistreated in foster care, and that no one followed up on concerns her daughter was suffering seizures.

Martin said none of the doctors who examined Samantha, either before or after her death, could explain why she went into cardiac arrest.

But Martin told the inquiry that researchers who studied the case have theorized the heart attack could have been linked to untreated seizures.

“I believe if she’d been removed (from the foster home) prior to that, we would have dealt with her seizures,” Martin said in court.

The fatality inquiry is not a criminal trial, and the judge presiding over the process cannot assign blame for a death. The judge can present ­recommendations on how to prevent similar deaths in the future.

The inquiry previously heard that Samantha was diagnosed with Tetrasomy 18p, several weeks after her birth. The rare condition causes developmental delays and is associated with seizures, cardiac defects, and gastrointestinal problems.

Samantha was put in a foster home soon after her birth in 1993. Her mother said by 2001, she was concerned her daughter was being mistreated. She reported Samantha suffered from seven broken bones, and various serious bruises, and she was never given clear explanations for how the injuries occurred.

Martin said she relinquished guardianship of her daughter on the advice of children’s services workers who told her Samantha would receive more government support if she lived with a foster family.

It was the start of an often acrimonious relationship with the government ministry and the foster family.

A lawyer representing the foster family is expected to cross-examine her on Wednesday.

Read more:http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Teen+heart+attack+stumped+doctors/4128785/story.html#ixzz1BUGUIVtQ

Samantha, The Face Of The International Medical Diversity Movement

International Medical Diversity is a movement to accept developmental disabilities in children as a natural occurrence of life, and not grounds for state intervention.

In loving memory of Samantha Lauren Martin.   Family-centred care is imperative to successful strengthening of society as a whole.

Samantha Lauren Martin,

Sunrise June 4, 1993 - Sunset December 3, 2006.

The purpose of this site is to educate; to promote better care practice for all children and vulnerable persons. Although it is natural to feel bitterness when betrayed, it is imperative to emerge from tragedy victoriously. That means, replacing ugliness with positive directive. Samantha's space is not intended to be a hate campaign, rather it is here as a vehicle to secure justice, healing and hope. Please honour the beautiful girl that walks above us instead of beside us now. Factual posting is encouraged, hatred is not. Samantha freely extended love so we must continue to honour her valiantly while ensuring accountabiity through factual means.

"It matters to this one and it matters to me."

What happened to Samantha Lauren Martin
In a nutshell, parents gave birth to a child with a little girl with a rare chromosomal disorder.  Because of this, the Government of Alberta, Canada placed her in foster care.  End result, the child was murdered.


Samantha's Law
The purpose of this proposed legislation is to allow for medical diversity in diagnosis and treatment of children with disabilities.  Current thought, not exclusive to Canada, is to remove these children, place them in foster care and adopt them out to lessen the financial burdens of the state for national reimbursement of costs.  


"Samantha's Law" Amendment to the Alberta FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) Act, was enacted retroactive to Samantha's death in December 2006: "The Family Support for Children with Disabilities Program to have separate legislation from that of child protection services." Section 2-3, Manual Amendments: Policy and Procedures in Family Centred Supports and Services:


Alberta, Canada Family Support For Children With Disabilities Act 2003
In the United States and the United Kingdom, there are financial incentives for adoptive parents to adopt disabled children with relatively little to no medical assistance to natural parents.  Private insurance companies will not pay for the treatment of these children and have participated in the design of these federal funding schemes.


The issue is not centralized to Canada.  It is international.  The international medical diversity movement is the inspiration of Velvet Martin, the mother of Samantha.  Meet Velvet:

In Celebration of the Importance of Life & Loving Memory of:

Samantha Lauren Martin,

Sunrise June 4, 1993 - Sunset December 3, 2006.