In reaction to the article featuring an interview with family lawyer Valerie Assouline, I would like to express my wholehearted agreement with her position. I worked within the Quebec Youth Protection system for over 30 years, from 1980 until my retirement in 2011. I was, and continue to be, a passionate advocate for children’s rights and the elimination of child abuse in our society.
Initially, the Youth Protection department where I worked, at what was then called Jewish Family Services, took a strong stand to preserve family ties, avoid placements, and provide families with the support they needed to overcome issues that impacted their children. This was the intent of the law, as it was created in the late 1970s. In reaction to the abuses suffered by the Duplessis Orphans, and as a result of the Batshaw Commission’s investigation into Quebec institutions, Quebec was then at the forefront in creating a system intended to protect children and their right to a safe life.
© Article: The Suburban – Image: FeeLona