Radio-Canada’s report highlights alarming child fatalities in Quebec, revealing that at least 69 children have died under social services’ care over the past five years, with the actual number possibly higher. The findings point to systemic failures in the youth protection system, attributed to outdated laws and lack of accountability. Calls for citizen mobilization emphasize the need for reform and active involvement in ensuring child welfare, urging the public to hold elected officials accountable as elections approach.
Shocking Revelations on Child Deaths in Quebec
On February 21, 2025, Radio-Canada shed light on a deeply concerning issue with its article titled “Some CISSS and CIUSSS ignore the number of child deaths monitored by the DPJ.” The report revealed that, over the past five years, at least 69 children have tragically lost their lives in Quebec while under the care of social services. Alarmingly, the actual number may be much higher, as various health facilities struggle to maintain a clear understanding of their responsibilities.
Systemic Failures in Child Protection
This disturbing finding leads us to two critical conclusions. Firstly, despite the extensive powers granted to the state through exceptional legislation that allows it to bypass standard procedural rules, the child protection system in Quebec is still inadequate. In essence, the state, while wielding significant authority ostensibly to safeguard the vulnerable, is failing to execute this mission both effectively and transparently.
The second conclusion is equally alarming: the state’s reliance on outdated laws, such as the “Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies Act,” has cultivated an environment of impunity. This has resulted in a lack of accountability, as the state appears unmotivated to gather and share vital statistics regarding child fatalities in its care. Such institutional opacity severely undermines public trust in a system designed to protect those most in need.
A System in Crisis: The Need for Change
For far too long, the youth protection system has been grappling with a crisis. Yet, it has managed to maintain its status quo through two primary strategies that avoid genuine reform. The first strategy involves framing each scandal or failure as an isolated incident. For instance, the tragic case of 22-month-old Thomas Audet was attributed to malfunctioning software within the DPJ. Similarly, the issues at Cité-de-la-Santé in Laval were dismissed as involving inexperienced young professionals easily influenced by the minors they were tasked with protecting. As a result, the numerous cases reported by the media are treated as anomalies rather than indicators of a deeper systemic issue within the DPJ.
The second strategy involves proposing superficial reforms that create the illusion of progress. Much like historical monarchs who would appease their subjects with minimal concessions, the state periodically announces new initiatives, changes in leadership within the DPJ, or other superficial measures. The recent appointment of Leslie Hill to replace national director Catherine Lemay was touted as a sign of positive change. However, based on the DPJ’s track record, this change is likely to provide little more than empty promises of reform, echoing Ms. Lemay’s past assurances that resulted only in stagnation.
The Call for Citizen Mobilization
It is crucial for citizens to recognize that the state is, in fact, us. We place our trust in elected officials to enact laws and policies that prioritize the protection of our children. However, it appears that the Quebec legislature has hit a wall of incompetence in youth protection. Continuing to assume that the situation will improve on its own, or that systemic injustices will simply vanish, would be a grave error.
The Esposito study published in the fall of 2023 highlighted that placement remains the most utilized service in Quebec’s youth protection system, with one in every twenty children placed outside their family environments. This trend inevitably leads to over-judicialization of DPJ cases, resulting in backlog in the courts and hindering families’ access to timely justice. Such circumstances grant the DPJ unwarranted power, allowing it to maintain harmful situations without accountability.
Given this reality, it is understandable that citizens, already facing their own challenges in a turbulent world, may feel powerless against the DPJ. However, succumbing to this sense of fatigue would be a critical mistake. The system thrives on the exhaustion and disengagement of the populace, using it to perpetuate abusive practices.
We firmly believe that citizen mobilization is the most powerful means to counterbalance state authority. This mobilization must manifest through strategic voting and ongoing pressure on elected officials, particularly during election cycles when they are most likely to make meaningful compromises to ensure their positions.
As we approach the next elections, it is imperative that we prioritize failures within the youth protection system as a key issue. Each of us was a child, deserving of protection and care. Many have had the fortune of growing up in safe environments, receiving the necessary support. As a collective society, we bear a moral and civic duty to guarantee this same protection for all children, particularly those without advocates.
Time is of the essence for citizen mobilization. We can no longer tolerate the status quo. It is our shared responsibility to break the silence and demand structural reforms that will finally ensure the protection and welfare of children under the care of the DPJ.
— Andreea Popescu, Lawyer