Senate Committee To Hear From LLRIB ICFS Director

Senate Committee To Hear From LLRIB ICFS Director

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 14:06

The Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s director of Indian Child and Family Services is speaking before a Senate committee in Regina today.

The committee is looking into how well the federal government protects children — in particular, Aboriginal children, adopted children and children in the justice system.

Committee members have stated that they’re concerned about the over-represenation of Native kids in the justice system, and how many of them once passed through the child welfare system.

Dexter Kinequon says, among other things, he’s concerned about what he sees as the government’s lack of a long-term strategy regarding First Nations youth.

Kinequon says federal legislation has to amended to address the current inequity of service provided to kids on- and off-reserve.

He also says there needs to be a way to measure the effectiveness of First Nations child welfare agencies, and the government needs to create an office that protects the rights of Native children.