By The Canadian Press

Panel on deaths of children in government care hampered by secrecy

Feb 23, 2017 | 4:26 AM

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 a bureaucratic “culture of fear” is preventing child-care workers from speaking freely to the all-party committee.

He says it will be difficult for panel members to make recommendations if they can’t get the information they need.

Two child intervention workers speaking to the panel today repeatedly deflected or declined to answer questions about how they feel child welfare could be improved.

NDP legislature member Heather Sweet says there has always been a culture of protection within the Children’s Services Department, but the panel will continue to push presenters to give more information.

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Ric McIver, interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives, says he sympathizes with the presenters, but wonders why the Children’s Services Department is putting forward experts who can’t or won’t give answers.

(The Canadian Press)