Irfan Sabir won't resign over delays in giving police report on child who died in care

Alberta Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir says he will "absolutely not" resign despite demands from the opposition to step down after documents in the death of a four-year-old girl in provincial care failed to be turned over to the RCMP in a timely manner.

"We have work to do and I'm not here to assign blame anywhere," Sabir told a news conference at the legislature Thursday. 

Sabir admitted that it took too long for the documents, in relation to Serenity's death in Sept. 2014, to be handed over to the RCMP.

"It is clear to me that we have not done enough and we have not acted fast enough," Sabir said, adding he takes full responsibility for the delay.

• Girl's death in kinship care prompts emergency debate in Alberta legislature

• Serenity's death prompts government to set up all-party task force

Instead of resigning, he announced the terms of reference for an all-party ministerial panel to review the current child intervention system.

The panel has short term and longer term deadlines to report back with recommendations on how to improve the system, culminating in a report to be tabled in the legislature by the minister in the spring.

"I'm here to talk about solutions," Sabir declared in response to a peppering of questions from reporters on why he wouldn't step down. "Serenity's family deserves answers and deserves justice."

Serenity's story 

Serenity died of a traumatic head injury in September 2014 while in kinship care with relatives on a central Alberta reserve. She was emaciated, weighed 18 pounds, and was covered in bruises with signs of trauma on her genitals.

It took two years to complete her autopsy report. Alberta's medical examiner has determined the cause of death but has not released that information to the public.

Both the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties called on Sabir to resign after learning the government waited until this week to give the RCMP an internal report on the death.

The government has been under fire repeatedly over the past few weeks over the child welfare system, including criticism that charges have not been laid in Serenity's death. The issue prompted an emergency debate in the legislature. 

That criticism consumed question period Thursday where calls for Sabir's resignation continued.

"The level of incompetence is breathtaking," yelled Wildrose leader Brian Jean. "The best action the minister could do right now is resign."

Standing in for Premier Rachel Notley, who was absent from the legislature, Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman defended the embattled minister. 

"We have full confidence in him and his abilities," Hoffman told CBC. "And what kids need right now is somebody, actually a lot of people, and a minister who has got their back, and we've got that."

RCMP investigating

While the RCMP received the case file from the chief medical examiner on Sept. 15, Sabir acknowledged the "RCMP didn't at this point have the full child intervention file related to Serenity's death."

On Oct. 24, RCMP asked for further documents from the delegated authority representing Human Services in the central Alberta community where Serenity was living.

Insp. Gibson Glavin told CBC News that the RCMP had been waiting for the documentation, and on Dec. 6, received thousands of documents. 

"We have now to go through them all to see what relevance they have to the investigation," said Glavin, who described the investigation as "very much alive."

No charges have been laid in Serenity's death. 

Panel to delve into child intervention system

Sabir made public the terms of reference for a ministerial panel that will study children's services, including current practices and policies.

Sabir said he wants "recommendations [so] that this kind of delay is never repeated."

The NDP will have five MLAs on the panel of a dozen members, which will also include four opposition MLAs, two outside experts and the minister.

Wildrose leader Brian Jean took issue with the makeup of the panel. 

"The minister himself who's responsible for this fiasco is involved," Jean noted. "How likely is it that this panel will come up with clear recommendations?"

Conservative leader Ric McIver also questioned the makeup of the panel while blasting the government for the delay in giving the RCMP all the informatiion required for an investigation.

"The RCMP got the information two nights ago, when this is being asked about in the House... for two and three weeks now," McIver said. "Absolutely ridiculous."