Feds must earn trust

When the Trudeau government goes before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal yet again this week, it will make two arguments that appear to be in conflict with its stated commitment to indigenous reconciliation.

First, it will contend that, before Ottawa can address the urgent crisis of child welfare on reserves, as the tribunal ordered it to do more than a year ago, it will have to complete an indefinitely long consultation process with First Nations, provinces and other stakeholders.

Second, it will argue that the tribunal has no authority to compel the government to act, but should “operate under a presumption that [its] rulings will be executed with reasonable diligence or good faith.”

The first argument might have held water at the time of the ruling. More than a year later, it looks a lot like a delay tactic. The second amounts to a request for trust, which the government has not earned.

Ottawa’s slow response has been a persistent source of shame, particularly for a government that so often touts its lofty promises on indigenous issues.

But as the tribunal has repeatedly ruled, there is an urgent child-welfare crisis happening right now on reserves. There is no shortage of research on what needs to be done — and no shortage of willing partners.

Its energy would be better spent protecting the health of indigenous children than pushing back at the tribunal.