In March 2006, the body of Phoenix Sinclair was found wrapped in plastic and buried near a garbage dump on the Fisher River Cree Nation. The province ordered a public inquiry into the little girl's murder, but it was delayed for years – until Friday.
Manitoba Justice Minister Andrew Swan announced that the inquiry would proceed with former B.C. Deputy Attorney General Ted Hughes at the helm.
"I understand the seriousness, the gravity and the sadness in the circumstance into which this inquiry will be required to delve," Hughes said.
The inquiry will examine if the child welfare services provided or not provided to Sinclair and her family under the Child and Family Services Act were related to her death, what other circumstances were related to her death as well as why the death remained undiscovered for several months.
During all Sinclair's five years, she was in and out of CFS care. Her mother, Samantha Kematch, regained custody of her a year before her death. Kematch and Sinclair's step father Karl McKay were found guilty of first-degree murder in December 2008 and lost an appeal.
The court heard that they choked, punched and kicked Sinclair, and shot her with a BB gun. After her death, they continued collecting welfare payments, listing her as a dependent.
The inquiry was delayed until the legal proceedings were over in the murder case.
Her biological father Steve Sinclair says he still misses Phoenix and he wasn't aware of the abuse she was suffering until it was too late. He hopes the long wait to an inquiry might benefit other families.
"Hopefully something good comes out of it," he said.
The inquiry will include public hearings. Hughes said that he hasn't ruled out considering other cases where children have died in care as part of the inquiry.
In April, the commission will decide when public hearings will take place. A final report of findings and recommendations should be completed by March 30 next year.
-with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley
