The ministry of children and family development is supposed to protect British Columbia's most vulnerable children. But safety outcomes for those children are no longer being used to measure the ministry's success in its primary planning document. Here's the background: in February 2006, the Campbell administration was under intense criticism over its failure to protect Sherry Charlie, a toddler who was receiving services from the ministry and was beaten to death by her great uncle. In an apparent attempt to address some of that criticism, the ministry began publicizing the rate of recurrence of child abuse and neglect its service plan - an annual report on the department's aims and how it intends to get there.

Public Eye will be taking a bit of a breather this week to dig into some stories that require further investigation and take care of the business-side of the Website. As a result, until next week, our postings will be somewhat sporadic. But, in the meantime, please consider making a $10 monthly contribution by clicking on the bar below. You'll be helping keep an investigative eye on Victoria. And, as a token of our appreciation, you'll receive a subscription to our monthly email newsletter - the Brown Envelope - where we'll give you the story behind the stories we've been working on. (Please note, federal tax laws require us to include the goods and services tax as part of your contribution. You can stop supporting Public Eye at any time by following this link.)

Charlie Brown once included crackling fires on a list of three things people like to stare at. Which is one reason the media spend so much time and effort covering the province's forest fires. But with Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell worried the coming fire season could be just as catastrophic as the last, I can't help but wish British Columbians paid just as much attention to what the Campbell administration is or isn't doing to prevent those blazes.

Sunday morning, on Public Eye Radio, we'll discuss cutbacks to British Columbia's legal services with Mulligan Tam Pearson Law Corp. partner Mike Mulligan. The Tyee's David Beers weighs in on the sale of Canada's most influential chain of newspapers. And our rabble-rousing panel - Don Anderson, Eleanor Gregory, The Tyee's Andrew Macleod and Allan Warnke - debate the week that was in provincial and federal politics. You can listen to Public Eye Radio outside of Victoria by logging into CFAX 1070 between 8:00 and 10:00. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us or leave a comment below.

This week, Public Eye exclusively revealed:

* illegal gaming on First Nations reserves "continues unabated and is highly visible," according to a 2008 internal government report obtained by Public Eye via a freedom of information request

* why Children and Family Development Minister Mary Polak supports her deputy's claim to having "never refused" to meet with the government's independent child protection watchdog. This, despite the fact the deputy recently rebuffed the watchdog's request for a briefing;

* the ministry of forests and range only has a rough, six-year-old estimate of what it would cost to clear or thin all of the wooded areas in British Columbia that, if left alone, could increase the chances or severity of a wildfire;

* the provincial New Democrats still have "$2 million in debt from the election" - although the party already "managed to pay off over $500,000" of that bill; and

* the Industry Training Authority "ambiguous" service plans goals.

So, if you aren't already a supporter, please consider making a confidential $10 monthly contribution by clicking on the bar below. You'll be helping sustain our investigative work, digging up the news that matters to you. And, as a token of our appreciation, you'll receive a subscription to our monthly email newsletter - the Brown Envelope - where we'll give you the story behind the stories we've been working on. (Please note, federal tax laws require us to include the goods and services tax as part of your contribution. You can stop supporting Public Eye at any time by following this link.)

Yesterday, we reported Industry Training Authority chief executive officer Kevin Evans accidentally sent out an email in which he described the agency's goals as being "ambiguous" rather than ambitious. But, in a comment posted on Public Eye, Mr. Evans reported many stakeholders took that spelling mistake with a grain of salt. An example of the responses he's received: "I love your typo, and I am pleased to see that the ITA is capable of the sort of error I routinely make. But it is not as bad as an error at BCIT some years ago that went to press with the Director of Public Relations being identified as the Director of Pubic Relations."

In 2005, then ministerial aide Jay Schlosar came to the attention of Public Eye readers when we reported he was the sexiest man at the legislature - that, and the fact he was moving into the West Annex. Now, five years later, Mr. Schlosar - the premier's deputy chief of staff for policy coordination and issues management - is moving out. He's taken a job as the executive lead of Internet strategy in the ministry of citizens' services.

More often than not, the provincial government's service plans feature ambiguous rather than ambitious goals and performance measures. But would any public office holder actually admit that? Well, in an email to stakeholders, Industry Training Authority chief executive officer Kevin Evans wrote his agency's plan provides "a crisp picture of the ITA's priorities for the coming year as established by the ITA's Board of Directors. It sets ambiguous (sic) goals by which our success over the coming year will be judged." Of course, we're sure he actually meant to write ambitious. But his spell checker seems to have gotten the better of him! The following is a complete copy of that email.