VANCOUVER– The BC Teachers Federation is calling for Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux to resign over concerns about deaths and injuries among children in government care.
A release from the union says “Teachers across BC are heartbroken and fed up with the government’s lack of action and support for vulnerable and at-risk children.”
They say they’re demanding more accountability from Victoria.
“BC teachers are demanding accountability for the government’s failure to protect the lives of so many children and youth. It’s time to invest significant new resources and funding to end the crisis facing children in care and the young adults who have, or are about to, age out of care,” says President Jim Iker.
The resolution calling for Cadieaux to step down came from the BCTF annual general meeting, where teachers heard about the passing of Patricia Evoy in Burnaby, a 19-year-old Aboriginal woman who recently aged out of care.
“These children and young adults are our students. We know them, care about them, and do our very best to help them. Meanwhile, the government is failing them,” says Iker. “These heartbreaking and completely preventable deaths must stop.”
