Shelved review of child welfare system may have answers, says Treaty Six Grand Chief

Having yet another government task force investigate the shortcomings of Alberta's child welfare system has Treaty Six Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild, who participated in past reviews, questioning the worth.

"I think we have to say, 'That's enough,'" Littlechild said on Saturday. "We shouldn't have to have another child die... under these circumstances before we begin to act on what we know should be done by way of previous recommendations."

Littlechild — who served as a commissioner on Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, was a representative on the United Nations forum on Indigenous issues and is a former federal parliamentarian — was also part of an independent oversight committee appointed by the previous Progressive Conservative government.

One of the recommendations from the report prepared by that group was to establish a committee to review the death of every child who died in government care.

But it didn't come to fruition.

"We gave our report. We haven't heard anything from it," Littlechild said.

'Surely to goodness it should wake everybody up'

In September, almost two years to the day after a four-year-old Indigenous girl named Serenity died from injuries sustained while she was living with relatives in central Alberta, the Office of the Medical Examiner finally completed her autopsy report.

The RCMP took over the investigation and in October, requested more documentation on the case from the provincial government.

In December, the rest of the file was handed over.

Serenity was emaciated and badly bruised when she died from brain damage. Other injuries suggested she'd been sexually assaulted.

"Surely to goodness it should wake everybody up in the sense of the horrific and tragic circumstances we find ourselves with this particular child," Littlechild said. "I hope, and I really hope, that there will be a change."

Alberta Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir said he takes full responsibility for the delay in providing the documents to RCMP.

Amid calls for his resignation from the opposition, he's announced an all-party task force will review the child welfare system to make sure there are "enough safeguards in place (to) prevent similar incidents from happening."

Littlechild said the all-party task force's first step should be to review the work that's been done in the past.

"You may have all the answers there in terms of a solution," he said.

Committee focused on Indigenous children in care

Littlechild said the committee that he sat on studied the entire system, but with particular attention on Indigenous children, who are over-represented.

The committee found there needs to be more contact with the families of the children and the leaders of the communities where the children are from. It also suggested resourcing more Indigenous expertise to help increase the capacity of communities to deal with situations involving vulnerable children.

"Sometimes it should not have to be about more money," Littlechild said. "How do we improve what we have? How do we build on the strengths that we have in our communities?"

There needs to be political will on the part of Indigenous leaders as well as the provincial government, he said, adding the support of the bureaucracies on both sides is essential.

Despite his skepticism about yet another review of the child welfare system, Littlechild said he's willing to help with it where he can.

"I don't want to see us talk about this kind of situation in the future," he said.