I Am Made of Scars: The Legacy of Ontario's Child Prisons
Summary
Reporter Liz Beattie shares the story of Daniel Brown, a survivor of Ontario’s abusive training school system, who documents his journey to confront his past through audio postcards. The episode details Daniel’s childhood trauma, including sexual abuse at Brookside, and his legal battle to prove his experiences were real after the government denied his records. It also reveals the reporter’s personal connection to Daniel and highlights the recent class-action settlement for former students of these institutions.
Topics discussed
Intro, sponsors, and the childhood photo
The Juvenile Delinquents Act and training schools
Daniel's road trips and audio postcards
Daniel's story: Star Wars and foster care
Theft, abuse, and the Princess Leia connection
Revisiting the daycare and drug runs
Social worker notes and PTSD
Running away and searching for his mother
Sponsor: Oxio internet service
Sponsors: Stamps.com and Mod.com
Visiting the York Detention Center
Arrival at Brookside and grooming
Sexual abuse at Brookside and legal forms
Reporter's disclosure and Canada Land support
Sponsors: Mod.com and Zen Nicotine
The reporter's past connection to Daniel
Return to Brookside with family
Legal battle and proving the timeline
Grandmother's letter and Kawartha Lake School
Daniel's family life and class action settlement
Outro, credits, and final sponsors
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