BC Premier Blasts Decision to Permit Subcontractor to Monitor Convicted Sex Offender

British Columbia Premier David Eby has labeled the decision that allowed a convicted child predator to attend an equestrian center, which resulted in the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl, as a “massive failure of judgment.”

The B.C. United (BCU) Party brought up the issue in the legislative session on March 6, questioning Mr. Eby and his NDP government about why known B.C. sex offender Taylor Dueck was released in Kelowna last month without public notification.

Mr. Dueck was granted permission to participate in riding lessons on Feb. 9 at an equestrian center that offers after-school programs for children.

During the question period, BCU Leader Kevin Falcon described the incident as “nothing short of horrific,” stating that a “pedophile with a history of violent sexual assault” should never have been allowed to attend such a facility.

BCU MLA Renee Merrifield, representing Kelowna-Mission, informed the legislature on March 5 that a subcontractor assigned by Community Living B.C., responsible for monitoring Mr. Dueck, stayed in his car for over two hours while an 11-year-old girl was reportedly assaulted in a bathroom at the center.

Ms. Merrifield, visibly emotional, blamed the NDP government for not informing the public about Mr. Dueck’s release into the community.

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“Who will take responsibility for this complete and utter failure to prevent its recurrence?” she inquired.

Mr. Falcon also urged the government to take action.

“The NDP government not only saw fit to offer this pedophile free horseback riding lessons, but they also chose to schedule those lessons at a horse camp clearly catering to children,” he remarked during the question period on March 6.

“The premier must accept responsibility for this latest catastrophic failure of his administration. Who will be held accountable for this utterly reprehensible failure to ensure the safety of our children?”

Premier Eby recognized the “profound lack of judgment” exhibited by Community Living B.C. (CLBC) in permitting Mr. Dueck to visit the equestrian school. He indicated that a government inquiry would “hold those responsible accountable.”

“For CLBC to assume responsibility for an individual with such a criminal background, to then subcontract that responsibility to a patently negligent and inept subcontractor, for that person tasked with one duty–ensuring no contact with children–to fail at that task, to determine that a stable was an appropriate venue for this person, is outrageous,” Mr. Eby stated. “It represents the most astonishing series of incompetent decisions imaginable.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth reassured the legislature on March 5 that an investigation had been launched and would seek answers from all provincial and federal agencies “to establish the facts of the situation.”

“Was it a systemic failure or an individual failing? Efforts are underway to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” Mr. Farnworth remarked.

Ms. Merrifield’s response was heartfelt, emphasizing that the victim and the community “deserve better.”

“Our communities will not be adequately safeguarded through mere investigations, analyses, and reports,” she asserted. “People are weary of the premier and minister’s insincere outrage in the face of catastrophic failures that leave innocent individuals victimized.”

‘Special Needs’ Arrangement

Ms. Merrifield informed CityNews that Mr. Dueck was at the equestrian center as part of “an arrangement between the social worker and the farm owner.”

“However, when the farm owner inquired about that individual’s specific needs–as she was led to believe–the response from the social worker was ‘he requires emotional support,'” she revealed.

“At no point was there disclosure of a criminal record, or any supervision requirements to avoid contact with children. If there had been, he would have been nowhere near that farm,” she added.

Mr. Dueck, aged 29, was arrested on Feb. 9 for sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, and probation violation related to the equestrian center incident, according to the Kelowna RCMP. He is currently detained at the Okanagan Correctional Centre.

The alleged occurrence transpired less than two months after Mr. Dueck’s release on parole following a four-and-a-half-year sentence for sexually assaulting four teenage girls in 2014, one of whom was menaced with a knife.

Sergeant Laura Pollock stated in a Kelowna RCMP release that a public disclosure order (PID) had been requested before Mr. Dueck’s release in Kelowna.

“While we understand concerns surrounding this case, several factors are considered in the PID decision-making process,” she noted in an email to The Epoch Times. “Although a PID was sought prior to his Kelowna release, it was not granted due to the overall circumstances.”

All additional queries were directed to B.C. Corrections by the RCMP.

B.C. Corrections and Community Living B.C. declined to respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.