VANCOUVER — B.C. New Democrat Children and Families spokesperson Melanie Mark released the following statement about the Independent Representative for Children and Youth’s report into chronic underfunding of Delegated Aboriginal Agencies:

“For the last 16 years Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberals have been failing children in government care. This report is like too many others. It exposes a government that fails to meet the basic needs of children, especially over-represented Indigenous children in care.

“This report, like so many reports before it, shows that under Christy Clark, our care system discriminates against Indigenous children. Indigenous children continue to be taken from their homes, their families, and their communities, because of intergenerational trauma and poverty, instead of being offered supports that keep families together.

These issues have been known for years, yet Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberals have refused to address them.

The Representative’s report points to inadequate funding from both the B.C. and federal governments and calls on the B.C. government to implement recommendations that have already been made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Grand Chief Edward John and others.

“The B.C. Liberal government hasn’t done the heavy lifting to reconcile these systemic issues. Even with an election coming it clearly isn’t a priority for Christy Clark, which means you can’t believe she’ll make this a priority after the election is over.”