The fight for a fair wrongful death law has generated considerable media attention in British Columbia. All major news sources, including CBC, CTV, Global, CKNW, the Vancouver Sun, and the Province have reported on the campaign, as well as local media throughout the province.
This news archive provides a history of the campaign. It demonstrates the need for a wrongful death law in BC that is just and equal—that is accessible to all British Columbians.
Five years after the death of her father, Cloverdale’s Rita McDonnell is still demanding better protection for B.C.’s seniors.
…According to the B.C. Ombudsperson, quoted in 2012, “The Ministry of Health does not require care staff to report information indicating seniors receiving residential care services are being abused or neglected.”
“Further, B.C.’s Health Ministry doesn’t require service providers to notify police if an incident of abuse or neglect that may constitute a criminal offense…”
Catherine Adamson says most people don’t believe her when she tells them B.C. medical personnel who commit errors leading to the wrongful death of a child are effectively out of range for legal damages.
Since her daughter died in 1997, Adamson has been fighting to change B.C.’s Family Compensation Act, which limits financial compensation for wrongful deaths to those who had dependents.
The head of B.C.’s Missing Women Commission of Inquiry says the children of missing and murdered women deserve financial compensation from the government, but concedes there are complicated questions to resolve.