B.C.’s minister responsible for children and family development said she met with family members of the late Chantelle Williams, after she had publicly promised to do so in the presence of family members at the legislature last week.
Williams, 18, was living in a group home in Port Alberni at the time of her death in January.
Last week, Premier David Eby addressed their presence directly, suggesting the mandated independent investigations should bring them answers about William’s death. During that same question period, Children and Family Development Minister Jodie Wickens signalled her plans to meet with members of Williams’s family.
Today, Wickens told CFAX 1070 the meeting has happened.
“I did make time to speak to the family, and hear from them. And [it’s] a very very difficult and sad situation," she said. "I have expressed that these situations, when families and children come into contact my ministry, it is at some of the most difficult times in their lives and it is incredibly challenging. [I] provided information to the whole legislature about our Child, Family and Community Services Act. Within that Act, there are very strong privacy protections for children and for families which limit what I am able to say in any particular situation.”
She also said she recognized how frustrating the privacy rules can be at times, noting how it sometimes frustrated her when she was in opposition or working in community. However, she said these privacy rules are to protect the sacred stories of children and their families. Ultimately, she reiterated that the death of any child or youth in care will be reviewed both by her ministry and oversight bodies.
She described Williams’s death as a heart-wrenching and devastating situation.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development, along with the BC Coroners Service, are investigating. The office of the province’s representative for children and youth has also signalled it will investigate the death after the mandated reviews are complete.
Wickens was on CFAX 1070 with Al Ferraby this morning (April 7):