First Nations discrimination hearing begins Monday
Child welfare underfunded: native groups
A long-awaited hearing into allegations that Canada discriminates against First Nations children on reserves starts on Monday.
The issue at the core of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case is whether the federal government can be held legally responsible for the circumstances of on-reserve children in the child welfare system.
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations are complainants in the case, which is proceeding after years of legal wrangling. The groups allege the federal government is discriminating against First Nations families and children by inadequately funding child welfare services on reserves.
Research cited by the AFN and the caring society indicates children on reserves receive 22 per cent less funding for services than those who live off reserve. That underfunding leads to greater numbers of First Nations children placed under foster care, the groups say.
“It’s not just a matter of principle, although principle is critical in this,” said Kenn Richard, vice-president of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission is also a party in the case and maintains the complaint should be upheld.
Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, said in a statement the case was filed as a last resort “after successive governments have failed to implement the solutions that would help First Nations children stay safely in their families.”
“The government of Canada needs to do what caring adults do as a matter of course — put children first and end the inequities,” she said. “We cannot, as a people or a country, afford to discriminate against children as a matter of public policy.”
The hearing is expected to last for about 14 weeks.