Calls for Action Now to Achieve Fairness for First Nations Children and Families

OTTAWA, Jan. 26, 2016 – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde welcomes today’s decision by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) for the federal government to jointly develop a new system of child welfare for First Nations on reserve and is calling for immediate action by the federal government to work with First Nations to ensure safety, fairness and equity for First Nations children and families.

In a highly anticipated decision released this morning, the CHRT states the Government of Canada has discriminated against First Nations children and families on reserve since the beginning of residential schools and requires the federal government to work with parties to the case to identify a process for remedy, which includes returning to the CHRT in coming weeks for an order on remedies.

“Today the kids win. Today the children are put first,” said AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde. “This ruling is nine years in the making. That is a full generation of children waiting for justice and fairness, not to mention the decades of discrimination that has created the gap between First Nations and Canadians. First Nations are ready to work together with the federal government to develop a new system of child and family services as directed by the CHRT, and this includes immediate relief funding for First Nations children ...