Canadian Inquiries Stumble Towards Redress

Abstract

Public acknowledgement of widespread child abuse in Canadian institutions is a relatively recent phenomenon. The issue arose not as a historical but as a contemporary phenomenon, located within institutions still in operation. Investigations into contemporary abuse led to revelations of patterns of abusive behaviour across decades, requiring a wider government response than was possible within the context of criminal or even civil law. The British tradition of ‘inquiry’ has proven a useful approach for addressing the breadth, depth and complexity of child abuse within government-sanctioned institutional care.