New Brunswick's Tories bypassed due diligence for Christian rehab centre: advocate

Child, Youth and Seniors’ Advocate Kelly Lamrock speaks at an availability in Fredericton, N.B., on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Hina Alam

FREDERICTON -

New Brunswick's child, youth and seniors advocate says there was a lack of accountability and due diligence in government funding of a private, faith-based drug rehab centre.

In a report published Thursday, Kelly Lamrock expresses concern about "politicized" decision-making by the provincial Regional Development Corporation. His report is titled, "Express Lane: How a Faith-Based Addictions Program Jumped the Queue During a Shortage of Services."

Under the previous Progressive Conservative government, led by Blaine Higgs, the corporation gave $1.5 million in September to a Christian group, Village of Hope, to expand its services in Upper Tracy, about 45 kilometres south of Fredericton.

The Regional Development Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation that plans and implements economic development initiatives.

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In his report, Lamrock said he was concerned that approval processes varied across different government departments. He said the development corporation did not review Village of Hope's own due diligence report or get advice from experts. If it had been a government-operated centre, there would have been much more scrutiny, he said.

"The attention to detail here would be laughable if it were carried out by a social department," he wrote in the report.

Lamrock also noted the treatment offered at Village of Hope doesn't suit everyone.

"The level of intrusion into personal choices, the regulation of outside contact, the extensive immersion into a particular theological and liturgical view, the unpaid work requirement -- these are all deviations from other programs and can be devastating to vulnerable people if there is not an element of choice," he wrote.

Funding of faith-based groups is not wrong, and there was no wrongdoing by the Village of Hope, Lamrock stressed.

"Just as programs tailored to First Nations communities can be best for members of that community, programs where the faith aspect is more explicit can be beneficial to those who draw strength from their faith," he said.

"Equally so, no one type of program should jump the queue simply because it aligns with the personal preferences of decision-makers."

In a statement, the Village of Hope agreed that a variety of support options should be made available to people dealing with addiction.

"We understand that the focus of the advocate's review was on the government funding process and not on any shortcomings of the Village of Hope. The Village of Hope shares the advocate's desire to see individuals and families supported during this critical crisis," it said.

Lamrock made three recommendations: clarifying the corporation's role regarding the funding of social programs and services; addressing wait times for addiction services; and having a process to regulate and accredit any private facility to which government provides referrals or facilitates access.

The Progressive Conservatives, who were defeated in the Oct. 21 provincial election, did not respond to a request for comment.

Green Leader David Coon said Lamrock's report points to the need for an investigation of the Regional Development Corporation by the auditor general. "The process stinks," he said.

Gilles LePage, Liberal minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, said he will be reviewing Lamrock's report.

"I recognize the recommendation to clarify the mandate of Regional Development Corporation regarding the funding of organizations whose dominant purpose is the provision of social services," he said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024.

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