June 24, 2003

Where's Hogg with Teen Killers?

Twenty five or thirty years ago Gordon Hogg was responsible for the Lower Mainland's jail for kids - the Willingdon Youth Detention Centre. In the last 24 hours we have seen a repeat car thief at the age of 14 involved in a tragedy that killed his 17 year old passenger, and only by the grace of God spared other innocent victims. In the same 24 hours an 11 year old, run away from a group home, was captured driving a stolen vehicle. Where is Gordon Hogg and the Ministry of Children and Family Development? Are they too busy figuring out how to cut $175 million (11%) from their budget? Are they too busy spinning that most of the cuts are done and "only" $70 million remains to be cut?

The Minister of Children and Family Development has a lifetime of experience with kids who steal, rape, burn, and murder. In opposition, his political party ruthlessly harassed the NDP and said that more money needed to be spent to protect children. In government, after proposing a 23% budget cut, they backed off to a cut of 11%, while refusing to say where the cuts will be made. Meanwhile, not one word has been said about the responsibility of the Ministry of Children and Family Development in dealing with the car thieves aged 11 and 14. Those kids are the responsibility of Gordon Hogg. He needs to be held accountable for the failure of his ministry just as much as those kids need to be held responsible for their actions.