Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Children's Ministry refuses to compensate youth it misinformed: B.C. Ombudsperson

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 06 Sep, 2023 01:53 PM
  • Children's Ministry refuses to compensate youth it misinformed: B.C. Ombudsperson

British Columbia's government is refusing to pay a young woman for its own mistakes and the provincial ombudsperson says she may not be the only one harmed. 

Jay Chalke says the Ministry of Children and Family Development gave the woman incorrect information, leading her to believe she was eligible for government support for post-secondary education worth tens of thousands of dollars. 

Chalke's report says the ministry doesn't accept responsibility, nor will it compensate her and it also won't look to see if others have been similarly affected. 

The report has five recommendations to the B.C. government, including paying the woman for the full value of the tuition, cost of living and health care supports she was told she would receive. 

The ministry rejects three of the report's five recommendations, but Chalke says it has agreed to two suggestions centred around developing strategies to make sure government staff are aware of benefits, limitations and obligations in giving legal advice for youth.

Chalke says the situation is fundamental, the government made a mistake, so it should fix it, and he's troubled that the ministry isn't stepping up to do that. 

B.C.'s Office of the Ombudsperson is an independent voice that investigates complaints about local and public sector organizations and reports of serious wrongdoing in the provincial government.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Marijuana grow-op busted in Abbotsford

Marijuana grow-op busted in Abbotsford
Investigators say they seized four thousand pot plant, kilos of suspected fentanyl and cocaine, as well as handguns, three sawed-off shotguns, a rifle, and a dozen other firearms that were "lawfully possessed."

Marijuana grow-op busted in Abbotsford

Report shows economic case for high immigration, but warns of housing trade-offs

Report shows economic case for high immigration, but warns of housing trade-offs
A Desjardins report released Monday analyzes how much population growth among working-age Canadians is necessary to maintain the old-age dependency ratio, which refers to the ratio between 15 to 64-year-olds and those aged 65 and older. 

Report shows economic case for high immigration, but warns of housing trade-offs

Tourist stabbed in Vancouver plans to continue tour of Canada

Tourist stabbed in Vancouver plans to continue tour of Canada
Twenty-eight-year-old Jamie Hallowes says he was on his way to withdraw cash downtown when someone approached him from behind and stabbed him twice. One wound required stitches, but Hallowes says the experience hasn't tainted his impression of Canada, and he plans to continue on to Alberta in the coming weeks. 

Tourist stabbed in Vancouver plans to continue tour of Canada

'Aggressive' wildfire shuts B.C. highway as military and officials set to meet

'Aggressive' wildfire shuts B.C. highway as military and officials set to meet
The service says Highway 20 north of Bella Coola was closed Sunday evening as the fire that was discovered near Young Creek just the day before swelled to 22-square kilometres in size.  The service says no evacuation orders have been issued for the fire, which is among more than 360 burning in the province, with 23 listed by the wildfire service as fires of note.

'Aggressive' wildfire shuts B.C. highway as military and officials set to meet

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges
R-C-M-P say the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon when a male approached a female stranger as she walked along the sidewalk and swung at her, grabbed her hair and spit at her. The Mounties say several bystanders jumped in to help the victim who suffered minor injuries.  

Assault in Kelowna, man faces charges

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory
Environment Minister George Heyman says the new regulation comes into effect in December and will cover plastic shopping bags, disposable food service accessories, degradable plastics and any packaging made of hard-to-recycle plastics.  

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory