AMC supports releasing funds but has concerns over long term benefits to First Nation children
February 1, 2018
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
alexpapineau
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2018
TREATY ONE TERRITORY _ Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott announced today that the federal government is sending letters to all 105 First Nations Child and Family Services agencies across Canada and will immediately reimburse costs for the last two years.
“We need more resources for our children,” said Grand Chief Arlen Dumas. “But I feel these monies should go directly to First Nations for community-based prevention programming, otherwise the end result of this announcement will not be in our children’s best interest.”
According to Philpott’s announcement, “the federal government will immediately begin to cover agencies’ actual costs for prevention, intake and investigation, legal fees, building repairs, among others, and will be reimbursing these costs retroactively to January 26, 2016.”
In the long-term, Manitoba First Nations must re-invigorate our original systems of caring for our children. The AMC remains committed to directing how the federal and provincial governments work with First Nations in Manitoba to ensure child welfare reform objectives in line with our inherent jurisdiction over our children.
“The current regime administering the child welfare system does not work. The status quo cannot correct child protective services,” said Dumas.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on December 7, 2017, between the AMC and the Government of Canada was the beginning of establishing a nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government and recognizing our inherent jurisdiction in relation to child and family welfare.
“The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs looks forward to working with the Government of Canada to further restore our jurisdiction in child welfare,” said Dumas.