Report from British Columbia’s representative for children and youth, reviews progress on 148 recommendations

A new report from British Columbia’s representative for children and youth, reviews progress on 148 recommendations to government over six years and finds B.C. has repeatedly ignored calls to take action on child poverty, domestic violence and Aboriginal children in care. She called the progress made on these social issues “dim and slow”. “We’re asking for a sensible policy and a strategy,” said Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond. “If you don’t work on it, it doesn’t happen. You have to work on it, and work has been very dim and slow.” She said 93,000 children live in poverty in B.C. “We’re talking about giving people a fighting chance,” she said. “When it comes to child poverty, it’s enough to fill BC Place and have people line up all the way down the street to Stanley Park. We’re not dealing with small groups. We’re dealing with significant issues, known populations, that have needs.”