B.C. budget cuts add to pain of already-vulnerable children

George Heyman demands to know who was consulted before decision was made

Vancouver (8 May 2007) - The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) is calling on the province's new children and youth representative to hold the Campbell government accountable for cutting funding to therapy and court support services for sexually abused children.

The Mary Manning Centre in Victoria has laid off three counsellors due to the lack of funding.

"Children who are victims of abuse need healing and justice. They need immediate support, not longer waiting times and fewer services," says BCGEU President George Heyman. "This government is abandoning its responsibility to these vulnerable children."

The ministry of children and family development claims to be making the funding cuts based on community consultations recommending more ‘regionalized' funding allocations.

"Who, exactly, have they consulted with?" Heyman demands. "Neither the traumatized families, the professional front-line workers, nor any compassionate British Columbian would support these funding cuts."

Heyman is requesting that children and youth representative Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond investigate the situation. Turpel-Lafond has a mandate to support access to relevant services, to observe independently their effectiveness, responsiveness and relevance, and to advise government on how to improve them.

"There is no need to be cutting funds to already-vulnerable children, particularly when our province is realizing record-breaking budget surpluses - estimated to top $3-billion this year alone," says Heyman.