Panel on child deaths hampered by secrecy

EDMONTON Members of an Alberta legislature panel investigating deaths of children in government care say the committee will be ineffective unless it starts getting candid answers.

Greg Clark, leader of the Alberta party, says it’s becoming clear childcare workers don’t feel they can speak out publicly to the all-party committee.

“What I think we saw evidence of is a culture of fear,” Clark said during a break in a committee meeting Wednesday.

“I don’t want to be in a position of cross-examining anyone and making them feel uncomfortable, but there’s some essential questions that need answers.”

Two child intervention workers repeatedly deflected or declined to answer questions Wednesday about how they felt the system could be improved.

Russ Pickford and Gillian Colquhoun outlined how there can be between five and nine separate reviews stretching over years when a child dies in government care.

Panel member Jason Nixon of the Wildrose party asked if they felt there was a way to streamline the reviews.

“Would it make more sense to have fewer (investigations) and to make it more centralized?” Nixon asked Colquhoun.

Colquhoun responded: “I think that I would bounce it back (to you).” She noted the panel has a mandate to make such recommendations.

Clark later asked if it might help to have multiple investigations, but just one shared interview with a family that has lost a loved one so as not to re-traumatize relatives.

“It’s one of the things that you’re going to bring to the table and that you’re going to explore,” replied Colquhoun.

Clark tried again: “What do you think?”

“I have opinions but I’m also not here to be a spokesperson in terms of the child intervention system,” said Colquhoun.

At that point, Ric McIver, interim leader for the Progressive Conservatives, turned to panel chairwoman Debbie Jabbour and said: “We were told they were free to talk.”

Jabbour told the pair: “We’re hoping that this is considered a safe place where you can speak freely without any fear of any negative repercussions.”