The Hughes report recommended - and the resulting legislation requires - the Ministry of Children and Family Development to report incidents where children in its care or receiving services have died or been harmed to the Representative for Children and Youth.
The ministry hasn't been complying. The failure was revealed when the media learned of a 15-year-old girl with Down syndrome who had spent nine days alone with her mother's corpse. When found, she was emaciated, raw with diaper rash and weak. But Minister Mary Polak said the ministry did not report the case because it didn't believe the girl had been harmed by the experience.
That prompted a damning review by the representative that revealed other, similar cases and a systemic failure to comply with the law.
Polak said the ministry will talk with the representative about changes.
But this calls for accountability — either from the person or persons in government who failed to ensure the law was followed or the minister.
A report by Lindsay Kines is here; a Times Colonist editorial here; and the representative's report here.
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Campbell brought in his 'pet' (at an incredible high cost) to run MCFD - minister Polak just warms a seat and parrots the party line to the paid punditry - and now that Campbell is going; Lesley du Toit will go too... perhaps a new leader will have new ways... perhaps we shall see the return of ministerial accountability.
Has anyone thought to ask Ted Hughes for his evaluation on MCFD's follow up to his recommendations? The time for diplomacy and pussy footing around is long past.
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