In a recent front-page story from the Winnipeg Sun, Tom Brodbeck accused the MGEU of “not wanting the public to get the whole truth and nothing but the truth” from the upcoming Hughes Inquiry into the death of Phoenix Sinclair. He claimed that our affidavit requesting that the identities of social workers called to testify not be made public, is an attempt to “whitewash” the Inquiry.
Needless to say, the MGEU and the CFS members they represent are profoundly disappointed by such an attack. We have clearly and repeatedly articulated the reasons such a publication ban is necessary, both through the comprehensive affidavit presented to Justice Hughes, and a featured letter to the editor from MGEU President Lois Wales in the July 8 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press.
In short, requesting that media outlets not publish the identities of those who testify is not about shirking accountability or expecting special treatment. It’s about giving all those who come forward a basic assurance that they will not be vilified in the eyes of the public, no matter what difficult truths they might share. It’s about protecting the hard-wrought relationships child welfare workers currently have with Manitoba families so that the system does not fail a child while we’re in the midst of trying to fix it.
On September 19, 2011, Justice Hughes will make his decision on this issue. We hope he agrees that identifying individuals will put undue strain on an already strained system, while getting us no closer to the truth, no better able to avoid such a tragedy in the future.
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