B.C. child protection report endorsed by minister

Children and Family Development Minister Stan Hagen says the government plans to implement all 62 recommendations made by former judge Ted Hughes in his report on the province's child protection system.

Stan Hagen said the government will implement all the recommendations in the Hughes report. (CBC)

The position of children's commissioner was axed by the B.C. Liberals as a cost-cutting measure shortly after they first came to power.

• FROM APRIL 7, 2006: Troubled child protection system needs stability: report

Hagen told CBC Radio on Tuesday that he supports the Hughes report, and is taking action to fix the troubled system

"I think that those are 62 good recommendations, and I think I can assure everyone that we will be implementing all 62," he told The Early Edition's Rick Cluff.

"This year, we've added $273 million to the budget," he said. "Staffing, we're going to add about 400 new staff, mainly in the regions."

• LINK: The Hughes report: B.C. Children and Youth Review (.pdf)

The Hughes report slammed the system as it is now, blaming budget cuts that "took the knife too far."

The retired judge also took issue with the internal management turnover in the ministry. He noted that there have been nine ministers, eight deputy ministers and seven directors of child protection in the past 10 years.

• INTERVIEW: The Early Edition's Rick Cluff speaks with NDP leader Carole James and with Children and Family Development Minister Stan Hagen.