VICTORIA — The B.C. Liberals misled the public last week when they said their decision to appeal a scathing sexual abuse case was about matters of law not about attacking the family, say New Democrats.
“Last week B.C. Liberal Children and Families Minister Stephanie Cadieux said continuing to drag this case through the courts wasn’t about the family, but about matters of law.” said Doug Donaldson, the New Democrat spokesperson on children and families.
“This week we find out the B.C. Liberals continue to deny the children were abused, deny the B.C. Liberal government did anything wrong, and claim the children’s mother is in the wrong.”
A letter sent to the mother this week makes it clear the B.C. Liberals want to dispute the factual findings of the judge who heard the case, including the fact the children were sexually abused. This will be the third time in this case the family has faced the B.C. Liberal government’s taxpayer-funded lawyers.
“It’s appalling the B.C. Liberals are revictimizing this family just to protect the minister from the consequences of her failure to do her job,” said Donaldson.
“A little girl was abused because the B.C. Liberals defied a court order put in place to protect her. She was only one year old when it happened. Now two years have passed and the B.C. Liberals continue to drag this issue through court – rather than giving her the help she needs and deserves. The way the B.C. Liberals have acted in this case is cruel, dishonest and unethical.
“The minister says it’s not about this family, even though she continues to deny the mother was wronged and that these children were abused in the B.C. Liberal government’s care. It’s outrageous for Minister Cadieux to treat these children so poorly and it’s outrageous for her to try and mislead the public about her government’s actions in this case.”
Donaldson noted the children have still not received the counselling they need for the sexual and physical abuse they suffered.
“For years the B.C. Liberals have been denying that these children were sexually and physically abused despite the children’s own testimony about what happened to them,” said Donaldson.
“Enough is enough. It’s time for the B.C. Liberals to end their attack on this family, apologize to them, admit they failed them and give them the help they deserve.”