Liberal MP Sean Fraser announced on his Twitter account Wednesday that he’ll be taking time away from his official duties after the death of his newborn daughter.
Fraser, the member of Parliament for Central Nova and parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change, said his daughter, Ruth Caroline Burton Fraser, died “in the early hours” of Dec. 3 despite the best efforts of the medical team assigned to her care.
“Ruth… passed away in her mother’s arms with her dad holding her hand,” Fraser said.
“Though her life was short, every moment was filled with love.”
He said he’ll be taking some time off from work to be with his family.
“I have not been able to keep up with my usual routine of taking meetings, attending community events,” Fraser said, adding that he does not expect to take his seat in the House of Commons until Parliament resumes in the new year.
For anyone wishing to send condolences, Fraser asks that people make a donation to the neonatal intensive care unit at the IWK Health Centre in lieu of flowers.