At a press conference, the new national director of youth protection did not mince her words. Lesley Hill admitted that when she saw the multiple scandals at the DPJ, she completely fell off her chair.
Despite his long track record in the field, Mme Hill, who came out of retirement with great courage, is just as stunned as we are. “What is missing,” she even lamented, “is a vision bearer.”
Without saying it, his observation no less gives the full measure of the failure of Lionel Carmant, Minister of Social Services since 2018, to reform the DPJ, following the report of the Laurent Commission presented in May 2021.
The commission, let us remember, was established after the revolting death in 2019 of the little girl from Granby, under the closed eyes of the DPJ and the CIUSSS de l’Estrie.
His years of martyrdom betrayed systemic dysfunctions which, through the DPJ and the mega-CIUSSS, dated before the CAQ came to power.
The Laurent report was clear: “We must move from indignation to dignity. We must turn our anger into action.”
Three and a half years later, however, we are back at square one: that of indignation and anger in the face of a broken “machine”.
To hear Mme Hill, also a member of the Laurent Commission at the time, the situation would be even worse today.
In the turmoil
Plunged into turmoil by shocking reports, Minister Carmant “resigned” Catherine Lemay, appointed by him in 2021, to replace her with Mme Hill.
He blames Mme Lemay its lack of transparency and action. If he is right, then it is clear that he waited too long before dismissing her.
And what about the creeping omerta which, under his watch, continued to expand in the network? Hence the calls from Mme Hill to the DYP staff to “denounce intolerable situations”.
In fact, the minister’s slowness to act more resolutely in this sensitive issue is the primary political problem.
This is why Lionel Carmant emerges politically bruised from this storm. The nomination of Lesley Hill, as excellent as it is, will not erase it.
Watchdog
Lesley Hill is committed to becoming a ‘watchdog’ for vulnerable children. No one doubts that she wants it. She has all the professional and human qualities to try to save the DPJ Titanic from total sinking.
Being an assistant deputy minister at the Ministry of Health, however, questions arise about her real political independence. In the public square and in the corridors of power, what will be its real room for maneuver?
When Mme Hill will see fit to do so, as a “watchdog” she will be able to freely bite the hand of the minister, managers and staff of the DPJ or the top guns from Santé Québec? Time will tell.
It remains that Mme Hill has what it takes to at least try to do that. For Lionel Carmant, however, this crisis will leave its mark.
Whether on the DPJ, homelessness, intellectual disability, mental health or the rest of his plate overflowing with heavy files and also in danger of getting out of hand, Lionel Carmant will no longer have room for error.
This is why, considering the growing scale and complexity of his tasks, the Prime Minister should consider splitting his ministry.
