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Custody trial White supremacist’s father willing to raise children

White supremacist’s father willing to raise children

Custody trial

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1758402

Gabrielle Giroday, Canwest News Service Published: Saturday, July 04, 2009

The father of a "white pride" supporter fighting to regain custody of his children told court yesterday that his son has made progress and could parent the children with assistance.

If that fails, the children’s grandfather said, he and his wife would happily raise the eight-year-old girl and her younger brother.

Winnipeg’s Children and Family Services (CFS) seized the children after the girl went to school in March 2008 with racist symbols and phrases, including a swastika, drawn on her body.

"I was pretty much disgusted with my son and his wife," the grandfather said under cross-examination by a CFS lawyer.

The grandfather, who said he has Metis heritage, told court he is strongly opposed to the white pride movement.

"[Him and his wife] seemed to bring out the worst in each other," the grandfather said.

After the grandfather rented the young couple a trailer home at a cheap rate, they let a water bed leak and made holes in the floor they blamed on their infant son, he testified.

His son is now estranged from the children’s mother. CFS is seeking a permanent order of guardianship for the couple’s two children.

The government agency claims the children’s parents are unfit to raise them, in part due to emotional abuse related to their white supremacist beliefs.

The children’s mother is not seeking custody and currently lives outside Manitoba. But the man, who is the boy’s biological father and the girl’s stepfather, is fighting CFS for custody.

The grandfather said he and his wife are former foster parents who were deeply upset by allegations against their son, who told court earlier this week he has struggled with heroin addiction and supports the white pride movement.

The man also grapples with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia.

The grandfather said his son was "shattered" after the children were seized and his marriage broke up.

He said his son has taken steps to rebuild his life, even though he expected his son to "take off" or "blow it."

His son has made "lots of positive progress" since January, he said, although he still needs basic work on such parenting skills as putting on diapers and cooking for children.

"I believe he’s going to do what he has to do," he said.

The witness said he was not aware his son has been getting drunk and having trouble at his job — as others have testified during the hearing.

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