For immediate release
June 29, 2023
VICTORIA, B.C. – The B.C. Green Caucus is calling for the resignation of Minister Mitzi Dean in light of the shocking and horrific systemic failures of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) that have continued under their watch.
The complete lack of accountability in MCFD has resulted in lives irreparably altered and lost. Despite repeated calls for reform, the ministry has failed to address their shortcomings.
“I stand with the First Nations Leadership Council and echo their call for Minister Dean to step down or be fired, and for Premier David Eby to empower a new minister to begin the transformation in the British Columbia child welfare system immediately,” said Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, and Member of Tsartlip First Nation.
”The hypocrisy of the BC NDP is remarkable. When in opposition Premier Eby and his colleagues stood Member after Member calling for the resignation of former Minister Stephanie Cadieux. Now as Premier, Eby has somehow maintained confidence of Minister Dean who has utterly failed children and youth in care.
“The latest reports of children in the British Columbia child welfare system suffering neglect and abuse leading to death, reports for the Representative for Children and Youth showing hundreds of children in the system go missing and are unaccounted for each month, the embarrassing reversal on much-defended changes to the care model for neuro-diverse children, are just a few examples of Minister Dean’s inability to lead this important work.
“There is little daylight between this BC NDP government and the former BC Liberal government on the shocking lack of care for the most vulnerable children and youth. In 2015, former BC NDP Premier John Horgan asked the same question I am asking today, ‘I don’t know how many swings at the plate you get? We need to stop defending the ministry and start defending children.’ When will Premier Eby start defending children?
“Minister Dean has proven entirely incapable of delivering the reforms that the BC NDP called for when they were in opposition. There was some hope that the legislative reform we passed last fall would begin the transformation but Indigenous leaders I talk to continue to express their deep frustration with the ministry.
“How can the minister expect to regain the public’s trust when she lacks the necessary leadership skills to navigate such a sensitive ministry?
“It’s unbelievable that Premier Eby can state he has confidence in Minister Dean. He must take action immediately by replacing the minister and transforming the ministry.”
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Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | jojo.beattie@leg.bc.ca