Liberals call for firings, accountability in wake of former P.E.I. teacher's sex crimes case

For the sixth day of debate in a row, tensions continued to rise in the P.E.I. Legislature around the issue of safety in Island schools after a former substitute teacher pleaded guilty to sexually touching a primary student. 

The two opposition parties took different tacks Thursday when it came to questioning the Progressive Conservative government about the case of Matthew Alan Craswell. 

The Liberals focused on who knew what and when, while the Green Party wanted to know what's been done to safeguard schools now. 

Opposition Leader Hal Perry asked why nobody has been fired over the incidents, and went as far as to call the government's response a "coverup."

"Parents are concerned, they're worried and they need answers. Somebody needs to step up and take accountability for this," the Liberal politician said after question period. 

"Someone needs to be [accountable] for these missteps in the process that was supposed to be taking place…. To me, it's obvious there's a coverup."

Opposition accuses government of Craswell 'coverup'; education minister says 'witch hunt' going on

21 days ago

Duration 3:36

Tensions continued to flare in P.E.I.'s Legislative Assembly around impropriety committed by an Island substitute teacher in two different schools. Opposition MLAs liked Hal Perry (shown) asked why no one has been fired, while the government accused them of using the issue for political gain. CBC's Nicola MacLeod reports.

Craswell, 40, pleaded guilty on April 29 to sexual interference in a case involving an elementary student at Stratford's Glen Stewart Primary School. 

He was first arrested last summer on an unrelated charge of possession and distribution of child pornography after an internet watchdog organization in the United States flagged his internet activity.

New information came to light during the RCMP's investigation, details of which were shared in court last week as Craswell pleaded guilty to four charges.

CBC News is aware of one other incident involving a student at an unidentified Charlottetown elementary school in June 2023, but Craswell faces no charges in relation to that.

The P.E.I. Public Schools Branch has confirmed that Craswell continued to work as a substitute teacher in Island high schools as late as the spring of 2024, after the two known incidents were reported. 

'Somebody's got to stand up'

In the legislature, the government's message hasn't changed much over the course of six business days of intense scrutiny over its handling of the case, starting on the day Premier Rob Lantz stood to deliver an apology to Islanders over what had been reported in court about Craswell's behaviour. 

P.E.I. premier apologizes after former substitute pleads guilty to sexual touching at primary school

29 days ago

Duration 7:04

Premier Rob Lantz told the P.E.I. Legislature on Wednesday that he was 'profoundly sorry' in response to a question about Matthew Alan Craswell, who worked as a substitute teacher as recently as last year, before being arrested on charges related to child sex abuse images and an incident where he sexually touched a girl in a classroom in front of other students. Watch the legislative exchange including the apology here.

Provincial officials have said Craswell's actions were horrific, but that they had to let the process unfold in court to preserve his right to a fair trial.

Education Minister Robin Croucher has ordered a third-party review of the PSB's policies and procedures. It will be conducted by former P.E.I. chief justice David Jenkins, beginning on June 2.  

On Wednesday, Croucher said the opposition parties will have to wait for that review to play out, calling Perry's line of questioning a "witch hunt." 

Government wants to say... they've been working on this, but there's no evidence of that whatsoever.— Karla Bernard, interim Green Party leader

Meanwhile, interim Green Leader Karla Bernard also asked questions about the Craswell case Wednesday, but focused more on what government has been doing since it learned of the initial charges against him in August 2024.

Bernard said she wants to see evidence that there has been work behind the scenes to close gaps that were exposed when the incidents were first brought to light — but said there's no sign of that so far. 

"Government wants to say they knew about this, they've been working on this, but there's no evidence of that whatsoever in the budget, in the policies, in the change of policies," she said. 

"Somebody's got to stand up and be the leader here and start that work right now. It can't wait until a third-party review tells us what's wrong."

Bernard also raised questions about whether an update is in the works for the province's current child sexual abuse protocol, which was drafted in 2013.

CBC News asked for an interview with Barb Ramsay, the minister who oversees child protection in the province, but she was not made available Thursday.