No inquiry necessary in case of slain Indigenous teen: Manitoba justice minister

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WINNIPEG (NEWS 1130) – The Manitoba government says it will not call a public inquiry into the death of an Indigenous girl whose body was found in Winnipeg’s Red River.

Justice Minister Heather Stefanson says the death of Tina Fontaine, and how her case was handled by the child welfare system, is already being examined by the provincial children’s advocate.

Under a new law passed by the Tory government, the advocate’s reports can now be made public and the probe into Tina’s case is expected to wrap up in the coming months.

Tina was an exploited 15-year-old who frequently ran away from a youth shelter and hotels where social workers had placed her.

The man charged with killing her, Raymond Cormier, was found not guilty last month and the Crown has said it will not appeal the decision.

Stefanson says it’s clear the system needs to be improved, and the children’s advocate will answer key questions.

“The Manitoba government acknowledges that Manitoba’s child welfare system has failed Indigenous families for far too long,” Stefanson said in a written statement Wednesday.

“Manitoba’s Advocate for Children and Youth Act, which will be proclaimed tomorrow, allows the children’s advocate to publicly release the results of this important investigation and the province awaits this report.”

Tina’s death shocked the country and led to calls for justice and for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

She was last seen leaving a downtown hotel, where she told a private contract worker employed by child welfare that she was going to a shopping centre to meet friends.

Her body was found several days later, wrapped in a duvet cover and weighed down by rocks in the river.

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