Alberta Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir Says He Didn't Botch Probe Into Girl's Death

EDMONTON — Alberta's human services minister says he didn't botch an investigation into the death of a girl in government care and rejects opposition calls for his resignation.

 

Irfan Sabir said Thursday he is committed to fixing a system that has been broken for years and failed the four-year-old girl named Serenity.

 

"We do recognize that we have failed many children, many Serenitys, but it's time to take action," Sabir said at a legislature news conference.

 

"I'm not here to assign blame anywhere. I'm hear to talk about the solution."

 

Sabir's department has been criticized in recent weeks for its handling of Serenity's death, which was outlined three weeks ago in a report by child and youth advocate Del Graff.

 

Graff said the girl was born to First Nations parents and placed in kinship care on a central Alberta reserve. The mother expressed concerns Serenity was not well, but nothing was done.

 

Leaked reports to the media a few days later revealed that Graff's office was not told that an emaciated and hypothermic Serenity was taken to hospital in September 2014 with dilated pupils and multiple bruises, including around her pubic area.

 

She had an extensive brain injury, was put on life support and died soon after.

 

In the two years following her death, there were delays and secrecy over her autopsy as well as about police and government investigations. No one has been charged.

 

On Nov. 21, Premier Rachel Notley's government promised renewed action on Serenity's case and a day later it delivered its departmental file on the girl to the RCMP.

 

A newspaper report that appeared online late Wednesday quoted Sabir as saying the government didn't deliver the report on Nov. 22, but sat on it for two weeks.

 

It was that delay that sparked Thursday's opposition calls for Sabir's resignation.

 

But he told the legislature during question period that the RCMP indeed had the electronic file for the last two weeks, but technical problems had prevented it from being opened until Tuesday.

 

"The reporter is certainly very passionate on these issues, but she didn't get all the facts right," Sabir told the house as shouts and accusations flew across the aisle and the minister was urged repeatedly to resign.

 

Sabir didn't say how the confusion with the reporter came about.

 

RCMP Insp. Gibson Glavin confirmed Sabir's house statement that the file was delivered Nov. 22 and that technical issues prevented it from being opened until this week.

 

Opposition members said Sabir failed on such a sensitive and critical file.

 

"This minister's best-before date is long overdue. He needs to go," said Opposition Wildrose Leader Brian Jean.

 

"This minister has proven he is not capable of doing that job," echoed Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark.

 

Sabir, fulfilling the promise made last week by Notley, announced details of an all-party panel to explore solutions for children in care.

 

Progressive Conservative interim leader Ric McIver said Notley promised a committee with more legislative teeth. He criticized Sabir for not promising the panel's work would be open to the public.

 

McIver also castigated Sabir for saying he's not looking to blame anyone for problems in child welfare.

 

"For Serenity, there's no justice if there's no blame," said McIver.