Granby girl's death prompts Quebec to appoint commissioner to better protect children
Quebec says it will appoint a new youth commissioner to better protect the well-being of children in the province.
Lionel Carmant, the province's social services minister, presented Bill 37 Thursday morning at the National Assembly.
The position is just one of many recommendations of the Laurent Commission report following the death of a seven-year-old girl in Granby, Que., about 80 kilometres east of Montreal.
She was found in critical condition in her family home on April 29, 2019, and died one day later in hospital.
She was known to youth protection officials and was left in the custody of her father despite several reports of violence.
Lawyer Valerie Assouline represents some of the girl's family and said having a commissioner whose job it is to listen to their concerns would have helped.
"I think all the red flags that were done by the family would have been heard," she said. "The DYP [youth protection] just did not listen to the grandmother, to the mother, to the school, to everyone."
The young victim, who was abused and malnourished, died of asphyxiation after being wrapped in layers of duct tape.
Due to the abusive nature of the girl's death, Régine Laurent was tasked with looking into the failures of youth protection in the case.
She suggested dedicating a person to both follow and advocate for at-risk children and young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 who were part of youth protection earlier in their lives.
If approved, the youth commissioner would follow child welfare cases in Quebec and release an annual report on the provincial situation.
"We will do whatever is needed to improve the position of children in Quebec," said Carmant.
The commissioner will be able to take complaints and inform children and parents of their rights. Like an ombudsperson, they are independent, but their power is limited and they will not be able to intervene directly.
"We want the commissioner to bring the person to the proper individual to intervene," said Carmant.
Though the position would be considered independent of the government, the province's premier would appoint them, requiring approval from two-thirds of the national assembly. Their recommendations would not be binding.
The hope is to appoint someone to this role by 2025.
Earlier this month, the young girl's family said they were suing the provincial youth protection agency and the local school board for $3.7 million, claiming they failed to act despite numerous warning signs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.