Following B.C. Premier David EbyB次元官网网址檚 B.C.B次元官网网址檚 ombudsperson is calling on the government to reconsider the compensation package offered to survivors.
B次元官网网址淭he Doukhobor community deserves a meaningful commitment from government to right this long-standing wrong and trauma that continues to this day,B次元官网网址� said Jay Chalke in a Feb. 27 statement.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why I remain frustrated that the individual compensation our office has been recommending for more than 20 years, has still not been clearly promised.B次元官网网址�
The government apologized for the detention of Doukhobor children in the 1950s and acknowledged the children had been abused both physically and psychologically.
Approximately 200 children were removed from their homes and placed at a former tuberculosis sanatorium in New Denver between 1953 and 1959.
B次元官网网址淭heir parents, Sons of Freedom Doukhobors, were protesting government regulation and their children became the innocent victims of governmentB次元官网网址檚 response to those protests,B次元官网网址� Chalke said.
The apology came with a $10 million compensation package designated for a legacy fund, an archival fund and a health and wellness fund. It did not give any money directly to survivors.
B次元官网网址淚 welcome the PremierB次元官网网址檚 commitment in the legislature today to work with the Doukhobor community to, as he said, B次元官网网址榤ake this rightB次元官网网址� and I call on him to give priority to individual compensation,B次元官网网址� Chalke said.
B次元官网网址淪uch compensation would allow survivors and their families to, in the PremierB次元官网网址檚 words, B次元官网网址榓ccess the support they need, however it looksB次元官网网址� to support their healing.B次元官网网址�
The Office of the Ombudsperson says it will continue to hold government to account as it follows through on the PremierB次元官网网址檚 commitments.
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