The province’s Justice Minister has offered an apology to members of a class action who say they were abused at youth secure custody facilities in the province.

Justice Minister John Hogan delivered the apology in the House of Assembly Thursday.

In it, he acknowledges that young people in such institutions in the 1970s and 80s experienced harm, and “for many, this harm still lives with them today.”

He says the province has settled the class action lawsuit that arose from the abuse, noting that it “took courage for class members to come forward and bring their stories to light.”

He says those in the system trusted the people taking care of them and that trust was broken – not just with them, but with their families and communities.

“These abuses should not have happened and no young person should have had to endure what these people endured. For this, I offer a sincere and profound apology.” -Justice Minister John Hogan

Hogan states government is committed to learning from the past and ensuring no other child experiences the trauma that was felt.