For Immediate Release
June 16, 2004

Sterling Calls Birth Certificate Backlog An Outrage
MPP Says Minister in Denial Over Scope of the Problem

Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling says Consumer and Commercial Services Minister Jim Watson has failed to deal with a serious backlog of birth certificate applications in the province that long ago reached crisis proportions. The MPP says the fiasco is leaving many families in the Valley and across the province in a desperate situation.

“This massive backlog grew dramatically in the months after the McGuinty government took office,” Sterling said. “Mr. Watson has had over seven months to clean up this mess up and nothing has happened. This is totally unacceptable. Anyone who has applied for a birth certificate in recent months can attest that things are only getting worse.”

Sterling said he is especially concerned that Watson, who is responsible for the backlog issue, has failed to grasp the true extent of the problem. In a letter to the Minister today, Sterling describes Watson’s recent upbeat update to MPPs on the status of the fiasco as “pure fantasy.” In his update, Watson suggested his ministry had decreased the turnaround time for birth certificate applications from 17 weeks to 15 weeks.

“I have many, many constituents who applied for a birth certificate last fall and are still waiting,” Sterling told Watson in his letter. “The concept of even a 17-week wait is complete fiction.” 

The MPP said the unacceptable backlog and waiting time are not the only problems at the ministry. He says his constituents are also frustrated with serious deficiencies with the so-called 10-day expedited service. For example, Sterling says his office is currently trying to help a constituent who applied under this service over a month ago and has yet to receive a birth certificate.

“My constituents are angry and frustrated with these ongoing delays,” Sterling wrote to the Minister. “My staff and I continue to do what we can to assist them, but a real solution will only occur when you choose to take real action.”

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For more information, please call Norm Sterling at: (613) 253-1171 or (416) 314-7900