[0.00 --> 5.28] We begin tonight with questions about how a man with a lengthy history of sexual violence
[5.28 --> 10.96] against young girls could get hired to work with young people. Administrators at Vancouver
[10.96 --> 16.08] Community College on the Burnaby School District are under fire tonight. After whistleblowers
[16.08 --> 18.56] came forward with their concerns.
[18.56 --> 24.40] CTV's Ben Milger joins us live now from outside the VCC Broadway campus.
[24.40 --> 25.60] Ben, what have you learned?
[25.60 --> 33.68] Mejong the man's rap sheet includes close to two dozen convictions, including for sex crimes
[33.68 --> 38.64] against children, the youngest victim, just seven years old at the time of the attack.
[38.64 --> 43.28] He would go on to lead workshops for indigenous youth in the Burnaby School District,
[43.28 --> 49.20] and once hired here at VCC, his office just two floors away from the daycare,
[49.20 --> 53.52] a warning to our viewers. Some of the details we are about to share are graphic.
[56.48 --> 58.32] And I want to ask you to pray.
[58.32 --> 60.56] In his role as elder in residence,
[60.56 --> 65.52] at Vancouver Community College, John Sam led ceremony at various events,
[65.52 --> 69.36] including an on-campus news conference hosted by the Premier.
[69.36 --> 73.28] Thank you very much, Elder Sam, for starting us off in such a good way.
[73.28 --> 79.60] Sam began his role at VCC in February of 2020 and continued working there for years
[79.60 --> 83.36] until colleagues say the school suddenly let him go.
[83.36 --> 89.20] We agreed to keep college staff identities confidential over concerns about their employment.
[89.20 --> 95.12] No meeting, no explanation, no anything other than he's gone one person told CTV News.
[95.12 --> 101.52] That's when curious colleagues turned to Google and quickly found an extensive history of sexual violence.
[101.52 --> 108.08] I was sick to my stomach honestly. It was just flabbergasting, said another VCC staff member.
[108.08 --> 111.20] Sam's convictions date back to the early 80s.
[111.20 --> 118.40] In White Horse in 2002, he pleaded guilty to touching a person under 14 for a sexual purpose,
[118.40 --> 120.96] the victim, a 10-year-old girl.
[120.96 --> 127.52] In reasons for sentencing, a Yukon judge describes Sam as a sexual predator who victimizes
[127.52 --> 133.68] vulnerable children. He's also being convicted of rape and sexual assault with a weapon,
[133.68 --> 140.88] both against minor victims. In one case, he held a knife to a teen's throat during a sexual assault.
[140.88 --> 145.12] The judge in the 2002 case declared him a long-term offender,
[145.12 --> 150.24] meaning a mandatory 10 years of supervision even after serving his sentence.
[150.24 --> 152.08] We reach Sam by phone.
[163.76 --> 168.64] Actuarial measurements assess you as a moderate high risk for general sexual
[168.64 --> 175.04] reoffending and a high risk to reoffend sexually against pre-pubescent and adolescent females.
[175.04 --> 180.80] Reads a 2015 report from the parole board of Canada. Sam's long-term supervision order
[180.80 --> 187.68] expired in 2017. A year later, he was leading drumming workshops at Burnaby High Schools.
[187.68 --> 192.00] The Burnaby School District says Sam was never alone with students.
[192.00 --> 196.72] For the protection of students, guest presenters in the Burnaby School District must always be
[196.72 --> 202.48] under direct supervision of staff, or they are otherwise required to have a criminal record check.
[202.48 --> 204.08] The district said in a statement,
[204.08 --> 210.16] we reached out to VCC with an extensive list of questions about how Sam was vetted before being
[210.16 --> 216.64] hired and whether there have been any changes to the hiring process. This contractor is no longer
[216.64 --> 223.76] doing any contract delivery for VCC, is all the college had to say in a brief emailed statement.
[226.16 --> 231.12] The staff members who reached out to us said they did so for two reasons. They were seeking
[231.12 --> 236.96] accountability and assurances that steps have been taken to prevent anyone else with a violent
[236.96 --> 242.96] criminal history or a sexually violent criminal history from getting a job at the school in the
[242.96 --> 248.88] future. The college's 11-word response to our inquiries provides neither.
[248.88 --> 259.68] Mi-jung? Yeah, not a lot of transparency from the school there. Thank you, Ben.