3 years after Phoenix Sinclair inquiry majority of recommendations not implemented

WINNIPEG –  Manitoba has implemented fewer than a third of the recommendations made following an inquiry into the death of Phoenix Sinclair, according to the province’s children’s advocate.

In January, 2014, an inquiry made 62 different recommendations on how the province could improve Manitoba’s child welfare system.

Nearly three years after that report, the children’s advocate found only 29 per cent were completed.

“We feel the public has a right to understand what improvements are being made in the wake of Phoenix’s tragic death,” Darlene MacDonald said.

Sinclair was five years old when she was killed by her mother and stepfather.  She was in the care of child and family services and during her short life was involved with 27 different social workers.

READ: Social workers’ failures singled out in Phoenix Sinclair report

The inquiry examining her death concluded Manitoba’s child welfare system is burdened with an excessive workload and lack of training, but also found people, not the system, failed the little girl.

Sinclair died in the basement of her Fisher River First Nation home in June 2005 after suffering months of horrific abuse.  Both her mother and stepfather were later convicted of first-degree murder.