Norm Macdonald MLA                                Columbia River – Revelstoke

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

December 8th, 2007

Liberals on finance committee vote against full protection for vulnerable children 

Only days after the Children and Youth Representative presented a damning report on the government’s progress on protecting vulnerable children, Liberal finance committee chair Bill Bennett used his Liberal majority to deny adequate funding for the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth.

“The Children and Youth Representative Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has an excellent reputation; she is highly respected,” stated Norm Macdonald, the MLA for Columbia River – Revelstoke.  “Last year the Finance Committee indicated that Ms. Turpel-Lafond only had to ask, and that money would be allocated to her office to fully fund the important work she was doing.”

Ms. Turpel-Lafond’s report on the implementation of the Hughes report, which reviewed the child protection system in British Columbia, showed that clearly the Liberals had failed to do what they promised for vulnerable children.

“This is a vindictive and mean-spirited response to very reasonable criticism,” continued Macdonald.  “It is the job of the Children and Youth Representative to point out the failings in the system so that children can be protected.  I can’t imagine that any British Columbia would accept the under-funding of such an important position.”

The BC Liberal controlled finance committee did not agree to fully fund Ms. Turpel-Lafond’s request for funding.

“It is clear that this government doesn’t care about vulnerable children. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of stinginess.  I can only imagine that the government doesn’t want the Representative actually reviewing cases and protecting children.”