Reports and Media

Annual Reports

Inaugural Annual Report 2020-2021 (posted November 19, 2021)

 

Special Reports 

The Child and Youth Advocate will table Special Reports publicly as needed. 

 

Correspondence

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates Media Statement concerning Canada's Hybrid Appearance before Committee on the Rights of the Child on May 17 and 18, 2022 (May 17, 2022)

UN Committee on the Rights of the Child - Supplementary Alternative Submissions with PEI Reference (April 26, 2022)

 

Op Eds

The Guardian: Children's Rights are Everyone's Responsibility, Especially Now  (November 17, 2020)

The Eastern Graphic: Children's rights in PEI are everyone's responsibility - especially now (November 18, 2020)

The Guardian: Child and Youth Advocate not simply a 'valued stakeholder' (February 5, 2021) 

Journal Pioneer: Opinion: Child and Youth Advocate not simply a 'valued stakeholder' (February 5, 2021) 

The Eastern Graphic: The role and function of an independent officer of the PEI Legislature Not simply a 'valued stakeholder' or 'amoung the list of government and community partners' (February 10, 2021)

The Guardian: Violence against children is never justifiable (May 9, 2022)

Interviews

National Child Day - Early Childhood Development Association of PEI with Child and Youth Advocate (November 20, 2022)

P.E.I. Child Advocate concerned about proposed changes to vulnerable sector checks for child-care workers (November 14, 2022)

CBC: Marvin Bernstein will serve as PEI's first independent child and youth advocate (July 15, 2020)

CBC: ici.radio-canada.ca. Meutre-suicide: le nouveau défenseur des enfants de I’Î.-P.-É. A pied d’œuvre (Juillet 22, 2020) 

CBC: PEI child advocate reflects on World Children's Day (November 20, 2020)

CBC: PEI's child and youth advocate says he wasn't consulted over birth alert change (February 7, 2021) 

The Guardian: PEI's decision to end birth alerts should have included child and youth advocate, but decision wouldn't have changed (February 21, 2021)

Journal Pioneer: PEI's decision to end birth alerts should have included child and youth advocate, but decision wouldn't have changed (February 21, 2021) 

Holland College: Pilot project to assist current and former youth in care (February 22, 2021) 

CBC Compass: Free tuition for current or former youth in care (February 24, 2021) 

The Eastern Graphic: Pink Shirt Day, a chance for education on long-term impacts of bullying (February 24, 2021)

Journal Pioneer: Pilot project at Holland College to assist current and former youth in care (February 25, 2021) 

CBC: Compass: Marv Bernstein on Anti-PRIDE Incident time stamp 23 min 50 sec (June 14, 2021) 

The Guardian: Events at P.E.I. school 'deeply disturbing,' says child and youth advocate (June 14, 2021)

The Guardian: 'It happens every day': Homophobia, racism and sexism present in P.E.I. schools says child advocate (July 27, 2021)

CBC: Homophobia and transphobia in P.E.I. schools a 'serious and systemic' issue, youth advocate says (July 27, 2021)

CBC: Compass: Responses to report on bullying at East Wiltshire time stamp 9 minutes (August 13, 2021) 

CBC: LGBTQ community, youth advocate, welcome report on bullying at East Wiltshire (August 13, 2021) 

CBC: PEI child advocate to complete review after boy's death ruled accidental (August 20, 2021) 

CBC: Compass: Child's death remains under review (August 20, 2021) 

CBC: Compass: Concerns from Child and Youth Advocate on return to school plans (September 23, 2021)

CBC: PEI child advocate critical of province's back-to-school plan (September 23, 2021) 

CBC: PEI child advocate keeping eye on inquest into mother-daughter deaths (October 7, 2021)

CBC: PEI child and youth advocate will be keeping a close eye on Coroner's inquest time stamp 4 min 40 seconds (October 7, 2021)   

The Guardian: More needs to be done - Child and Youth advocate says systemic changes needed following protest (October 22, 2021)

CBC: Compass: Child and Youth Advocate wants to play a part in how student complaints are handled time stamp 13 min (October 26, 2021) 

CBC: School complaints process 'highly problematic,' says P.E.I. child advocate (October 26, 2021) 

CBC: Compass: Child and Youth Advocate releases first annual report time stamp 12 min 20 seconds (November 19, 2021) 

CBC: Poor co-ordination causing extra stigma for children at risk in schools, child advocate says (November 21, 2021) 

CBC: New policy coming for P.E.I. students to report gender discrimination incidents, says child and youth advocate (February 18, 2022)

CTV News Atlantic: Murder-suicide inquest raises questions about how P.E.I. deals with at-risk families (February 25, 2022)

CBC: New legislation will curb access to government information, says P.E.I. child advocate (March 1, 2022) 

CBC: Father of 3 takes his vaccine-hesitant ex-partner to court (March 8, 2022)

CBC: Child advocate calls for review of case involving P.E.I boy sent to Alberta (June 15, 2022)

CBC Island Morning: Child advocate calls for review of case involving boy sent to Alberta (June 15, 2022)

CBC: P.E.I. government plans 3rd-party review of case involving boy sent to Alberta (June 15, 2022)

The Guardian: Boy's rights must be at centre of third party review of Child Protective Services in P.E.I., advocate says (June 20, 2022)

CBC:  P.E.I.'s child advocate to investigate 2020 death of Olivia Rodd (August 17, 2022)

The Guardian:  P.E.I. child advocate to investigate death of 9-year-old Olivia Rodd (August 17, 2022)

 

Press Releases 

Raising the Bar on Children's Rights on PEI (November 16, 2022)

Child and Youth Advocate to Oversee PEI Children & Youth Table (October 8, 2020)

La défenseure des enfants et de la jeunesse dirigera la Table des enfants et de la jeunesse de l’Î.-P.-É. (Jeudi 8 octobre 2020)

Child and Youth Advisory Committee of the PEI Office of the Child and Youth Advocate is recruiting (March 24, 2021)

Every Child has a right to be Safe (June 14, 2021) 

Child and Youth Advocate to Investigate Child Death (August 17, 2022) 

 

Background Media 

CBC - Premier promises action in light of murder-suicide of mother, 4 year old son – Premier says he’ll act on recommendations from jury into deaths of Nash Campbell and his mother  (June 16, 2015)

CBC – Chief Coroner’s Recommendations (June 16, 2015)

CBC – Patricia Hennessey, Nash Campbell inquest yields 15 recommendations – Jury calls for more information sharing, professional training, child advocate for high risk custody cases (March 30, 2015)

CBC- P.E.I. acts on mother-son murder-suicide inquest recommendations – But critics want to see a child advocate in place for P.E.I. – the only province without one (November 19, 2015)

CBC- P.E.I. government votes against creating child advocate position – Premier goes against recommendation of inquest, says many the services already being provided (April 13, 2016)

CBC – Children’s lawyer program to over protection in custody disputes – ‘But it doesn’t replace the child advocate’ says opposition of program announced in budget (April 21, 2016)

CBC – Need for P.E.I. child advocate overwhelming, says opposition – Aylward put forward a motion on a child advocate last spring as well (November 23, 2016)

CBC – Child Protection Act recommendations should’ve included child advocate, opposition says – Chair of committee that reviewed act says there is ‘no one answer to improving child protection’ (January 26, 2017)

CBC – How much would a child advocate cost? Asks Green Party Leader (April 19, 2017)

CBC – P.E.I. ‘notably missing’ missing from national child advocate council – Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates wants P.E.I. at the table (April 20, 2017)

CBC – Premier willing to consider child advocate – ‘but first things first’ – Government, Opposition come a little closer in ongoing debate over how to protect Island children (May 5, 2017)

CBC -  PEI names legal aid attorney as first children’s lawyer – Province says new position will ensure ‘voices of children are heard in court’ (May 30, 2017)

CBC – They would have a voice’: UNICEF representative says PEI needs a child advocate – PEI is the only province without a child advocate (June 9, 2017)

CBC – PEI hires long awaited child advocate – Green Party of PEI calls appointment ‘largely disappointing’  (January 18, 2019)

Saltwire Network – UPDATE:  Michele Dorsey named PEI Child and Youth Advocate Officer  (January 18, 2019)

CBC – National Council ‘very pleased’ P.E.I. now has child advocate – ‘You have the right person, I believe, in there’ (January 23, 2019)

The Eastern Graphic – Children deserve better than Liberal spin  (January 23, 2019)

CBC – Does PEI need an independent child advocate? (January 29, 2019)

The Guardian PEI – UPDATE: P.E.I. child advocate public meetings begin this week (September 9, 2019)

Office of the Official Opposition – Official Opposition release recommendations for draft Child and Youth Advocate Act (October 9, 2019)

CBC – P.E.I.’s child advocate to gain independence, new office a PCs look to fulfill election pledge – Legislation to be tabled this fall would end years-long political debate over position (November 6, 2019)

CBC- P.E.I. MLAs pass bill to create independent child advocate – Child and Youth Advocate Act passed second and third readings Wednesday (November 20, 2019)

Ocean 100 – MLAs unanimously pass Bill to create independent Child and Youth Advocate Office (November 21, 2019)

CBC – P.E.I. readies to appoint new advocate during spring sitting – Opposition says competitive process to fill position will be ‘independent and non-partisan’ (January 18, 2020)

Yahoo!News – P.E.I. readies to appoint new advocate during spring sitting  (January 18, 2020)

CBC Prince Edward Island (Facebook) – The P.E.I. government is making moves to allow a new independent child advocate to be appointed during the spring sitting of the legislature (January 18, 2020)

Office of the Official Opposition – Without a Child and Youth Advocate, Island Children Remain at Risk (April 24, 2020)

CBC – New auditor general, child advocate and privacy commissioner appointed – Marvin Bernstein will serve as P.E.I.’s first independent child and youth advocate (May 26, 2020)

MSN – New auditor general, child advocate and privacy commissioner appointed (May 26, 2020)

The Guardian PEI – New auditor general, privacy commissioner and child and youth advocate appointed in PEI (May 27, 2020 and updated July 8, 2020)

CBC Prince Edward Island (Facebook) – Marvin Bernstein will serve as P.E.I.’s first independent child and youth advocate (July 15, 2020)

 

Child and Youth Rights in the News across Canada 

The Hill Times: Canada should repeal 'archaic' law permitting corporal punishment (January 16, 2021)

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, British Colombia: Detained: Rights of children and youth under the Mental Health Act (January 19, 2021) 

Saskatchewan Advocate for Children & Youth: Someone to Watch Over Us - Special Investigation Report (March 2021)

Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth: Still Waiting - Investigating Child Maltreatment after the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry (March 2021) 

The Harvard Gazette: Health & Medicine - How spanking may affect brain development in children (April 2021)

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates: Children's advocates call for significant mental health planning and investment for young people now and after pandemic on National Child and Youth Mental Health Day (May 7, 2021) 

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates: Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates Acknowledges the 215 Children Discovered at Former Residential Schools in B.C. (June 1, 2021) 

The Royal Society of Canada: Children and Schools During COVID-19 and Beyond: Engagement and Connection Through Opportunity (August 24, 2021)

CBC Edmonton: Alberta's child advocate says 'checking boxes' approach to child welfare needs overhaul  (September 7, 2021) 

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates: Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates urges Canadians to call on government to safeguard the rights of children and youth (November 17, 2021) 

CBC: Young Canadians launch court challenge to lower federal voting age from 18 (December 1, 2021) 

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates: Child and Youth Advocates Reflect on 30 Years of Children's Rights in Canada (December 13, 2021) 

Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates: Canada Appears Before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Calls for Concrete Action on Improving Respect for Children's Rights (May 17, 2022)

Available for members of the Media: Marvin M. Bernstein, Child and Youth Advocate / PEI - biography