New Brunswick’s Child and Youth Advocate is expressing concern over the Liberal government’s bill that would add the seniors portfolio to his mandate.
Child and Youth Advocate Norman Bossé said he’s not clear on what the mandate is and would have preferred to see “stand-alone legislation.”
READ MORE: New Brunswick should move seniors’ care to health department: advocate
He said his office already handles between 500 and 600 calls annually and adding more calls to the mix would make things challenging.
“If my office is inundated with all these calls, I have a serious concern there,” Bossé said.
New Brunswick Green Party leader David Coon said Bossé has a right to be concerned.
Coon said the bill is “restrictive” when it comes to the conditions and eligibility for seniors to receive help from the advocate if seniors is added.
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“It’s very worrisome that this could take resources away from the incredible work the child and youth advocate is doing for children and youth,” Coon said.
Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights executive director Cecile Cassista said she is also concerned about whether the advocate will be given “sufficient resources to do the work” and wonders if his responsibility includes all seniors, not just seniors who receive subsidy from government
Cassista said section 12 of the Ombudsman Act is restrictive to what the advocate can do.
She said the coalition also wants to see the Bill of Rights, something she said was recommended back in 2004 in a report by former Ombudsman Bernard Richard.
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Cassista says there need to be more rights for seniors, and says this is a step backwards and lacks progress.
New Brunswick Health Minister Victor Boudreau introduced Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Child and Youth Advocate Act on Dec. 7. The Bill passed second reading and Coon said questions would be asked during Tuesday’s economy policy committee meeting about what it means if the act is passed without amendments.
Global News reached out to the government but did not hear back prior to deadline.
More to come…