Thieves of Innocence(2005)

Thieves of Innocence is a documentary that examines the systemic failure to protect Quebec's most vulnerable children. Each year, the province's youth protection agency receives 25,000 reports of abuse, abandonment, and violence, yet nearly 40% of child deaths result from parental brutality. Filmmaker Paul Arcand presents raw testimonies from child and adult survivors, alongside interviews with politicians, social workers, and judges grappling with the crisis. The film exposes how bureaucratic indifference and institutional carelessness leave thousands of children in state care without adequate safeguards. Through unflinching investigation, Thieves of Innocence reveals the gap between mandate and reality—a system designed to protect that often fails those it serves.