‘Massive Failure of Judgment’: BC Premier Criticizes Decision to Allow Subcontractor to Monitor Convicted Sex Offender

British Columbia Premier David Eby speaks during an announcement at the Seaspan Ferries Tilbury Terminal in Delta, B.C., on April 27, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia Premier David Eby is calling the decision that allowed a convicted child predator to attend an equestrian centre that subsequently led to the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl a “massive failure of judgment.”

Mr. Eby and his NDP government faced repeated questions from the B.C. United (BCU) Party about why known sex offender Taylor Dueck was released in Kelowna last month without the public being notified.

Mr. Dueck was permitted to attend riding lessons Feb. 9 at an equestrian centre that runs after-school programs for children.

B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon called the incident “nothing short of horrific,” during question period, saying a “pedophile with a history of violent sexual assault” should never have been allowed to attend such a facility.

BCU MLA Renee Merrifield, who represents Kelowna-Mission, told the legislature March 5 that a subcontractor arranged by Community Living B.C., who was charged with monitoring Mr. Dueck, sat in his car for more than two hours during which time an 11-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted in a bathroom at the centre.

Ms. Merrifield, who was near tears during her recounting of the events, laid blame on the NDP government for failing to notify the public about Mr. Dueck’s release into the community.

“Who is going to take responsibility for this complete and utter failure so it never happens again?” she asked.

Mr. Falcon also called on the government to take action.

“This NDP government apparently thought that not only was it a good idea to give this pedophile free horseback riding lessons, they decided to book those lessons at a riding camp that was easily identifiable as a venue for children,” he said during question period March 6.

“The premier needs to take accountability for this latest catastrophic failure of his government. Who is going to be fired for this utterly despicable failure to keep our children safe?”

Premier Eby acknowledged there had been a “profound lack of judgement” by Community Living B.C. (CLBC) in allowing Mr. Dueck to go to the equestrian school. He said a government investigation will “hold accountable” the individuals responsible.

“For CLBC to take on responsibility for someone with a criminal record like this, for them to subcontract that responsibility to an obviously negligent and incompetent subcontractor, for that person who had one job to do—to make sure that this individual was not in contact with any children—to fail at that job, to decide that a horse barn was the right place to take this person, it is outrageous,” Mr. Eby said. “It is the absolute most unbelievable string of incompetent decision-making that one could even imagine.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth assured the legislature March 5 an investigation had been launched and would demand an accounting from all provincial and federal agencies “to find out exactly what happened.”

“Was it a systemic failure or was it a failure of an individual? That work is underway to ensure that this never happens again,” Mr. Farnworth said.

Ms. Merrifield’s response was emotional, saying the victim and the community “deserve better.”

“Our communities are not going to be protected by some investigation and analysis and report,” she said. “People are sick and tired of the premier and this minister’s feigned indignation in the face of horrific failures that leave innocent people victimized.”

‘Special Needs’ Arrangement

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

“Having said that, at no point when the farm owner had asked about that particular individual and what sort of special needs he had — because that was the premise she was given — when that was asked, the response from the social worker was ‘he needs emotional support,'” she said.

“At no time was there ever disclosure that there was a criminal record, that there was supervisory necessity that they were not to be around children. If so, he would have never been anywhere near that farm.”

Mr. Dueck, 29, was arrested Feb. 9 on charges of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and breach of probation in connection with the equestrian centre incident, the Kelowna RCMP said. He remains in custody at the Okanagan Correctional Centre.

The alleged incident occurred less than two months after Mr. Dueck was released on parole after serving four-and-a-half years in jail for sexually assaulting four teenage girls in 2014. One of the victims was threatened with a knife.

Mr. Dueck’s history of sexual offences with minors has made him the subject of past public warnings before his release into a community.

Sergeant Laura Pollock said in a statement Kelowna RCMP had requested a public disclosure order (PID) prior to Mr. Dueck’s release in Kelowna.

“While we understand the commentary surrounding this case, there are multiple factors in the decision-making process for a PID,” she said in an email to The Epoch Times. “I can confirm that a PID was sought prior to his release in Kelowna, however the threshold was not met in this case based on the totality of the circumstances.”

The RCMP referred all further questions to B.C. Corrections.

B.C. Corrections and Community Living B.C. did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.