Feds to address First Nations child-welfare funding gap

The next federal budget will include more money for First Nations child-welfare services on reserves, Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott said Wednesday — but she stopped short of saying how much.

The Liberal government is keen to fix the “funding gap” in the resources available to Indigenous children as compared to non-Indigenous kids, Philpott said Wednesday as she spoke to chiefs at a special meeting convened by the Assembly of First Nations.

She referenced the Liberal government’s Budget 2016 allocation of $635 million for child-welfare supports before acknowledging that the Liberals have since been called out repeatedly, including on human rights grounds, for not doing enough.

“You and other partners, as well as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, have highlighted that more must be done,” she told Indigenous leaders. “You have noted the gap between the resources provided for child welfare for Indigenous children and non-Indigenous children.

“We will work with relevant partners in the coming months to define the policy and funding needed to address this gap, and include it in Budget 2018.”

Details, however, were not forthcoming. Philpott said later she still needs to discuss precise funding levels with Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

Outstanding concerns about chronic underfunding of First Nations child welfare services has been at the centre of a protracted legal battle at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which issued multiple rulings urging the government to make more resources available.