VICTORIA Saskatchewan judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has been nominated as B.C.’s new representative for children and youth.
The B.C. legislature reconvened Wednesday to confirm the choice of a new independent children’s watchdog, after a lengthy political battle over the B.C. Liberal government’s decision to disband the office of the children’s commissioner and transfer responsibility for child death reviews to the B.C. Coroners Service in 2002.
The NDP refused unanimous consent required to ratify the appointment Wednesday, a move likely to delay the appointment until Monday but not derail it, since the all-party selection committee unanimously endorsed Turpel-Lafond.