REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH RECOMMENDED

VICTORIA – Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has been recommended as the first Representative for Children and Youth for British Columbia.

The Special Committee to Appoint a Representative for Children and Youth presented its unanimous recommendation in a report to the House this afternoon. The appointment becomes effective at the passage of a resolution by the Legislative Assembly.

During her 24-year legal career, Ms. Lafond has worked as a lawyer in private practice, a professor of law, and a judge in adult criminal and youth courts. Ms. Lafond is currently a Judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, serving as the Administrative Judge for Saskatoon and region.

“Members of the committee have unanimously recommended Ms. Lafond for the position of Representative for Children and Youth,” said committee chair John Rustad. “As we considered her varied professional accomplishments, her qualifications for this position and her deep personal commitment to the work that will be required, unanimity was not difficult to achieve.”

“We were fortunate to have an exceptional group of candidates from which to choose,” said deputy chair Maurine Karagianis. “Even among that group, Ms. Lafond stood out in bringing the leadership we need to this new position.”

The Representative for Children and Youth is a key part of the revised child protection framework recommended by the BC Children and Youth Review. The representative’s mandate is established by the Representative for Children and Youth Act [SBC 2006 Chapter 29 -- Bill 34].

The members of the Special Committee to Appoint a Representative for Children and Youth are:

The report can be found on the committee’s website at www.leg.bc.ca/cmt, by contacting any committee member or by contacting:

Queries for Ms. Lafond may be directed to:

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