Press Releases

Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is responding to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 which was tabled today in the House of Commons. There are commitments to First Nations and Indigenous peoples in the Update related to mitigation and pandemic recovery. Also included in the Update is an amount of $40 billion set aside for compensation for discriminatory First Nations child welfare programming and reform of the First Nations Child Welfare Service Program as identified by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.   

AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas stated, “The AMC welcomes the fiscal commitments for First Nations announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in today’s Economic and Fiscal Update, including an amount set aside for compensation for harms caused by the First Nations Child Welfare Services Program. I also commend Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief for Manitoba, Cindy Woodhouse, for her efforts in securing this amount and for her efforts in representing First Nations in the ongoing negotiations. AMC member First Nations, who have been influential in the negotiations and have leveraged a good working relationship with the parties to the settlement, look forward to a successful final settlement for compensation and reform. The compensation is paramount, and the AMC member First Nations encourage the parties to an anticipated settlement to ensure that this money is expedited to those eligible for compensation without delay.”  

In today’s Update, although negotiations are still ongoing, the government has budgeted $40 billion to respond to the order of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, compensate for harms by the First Nations Child and Family Services program and for delays or denials in needed children’s services, and support long-term program reforms to make sure First Nations have the support they need to keep their families together.  

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