Province Handed Petition Over Foster Care Deaths

Province Handed Petition Over Foster Care Deaths

Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 14:55

A group of 50 people — mostly Aboriginal women — gathered on the steps of the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina yesterday.

They were supporting Chris Martell, who delivered a petition to the province’s Justice Minister.

The petition is requesting an inquiry into the death of Martell’s 22-month-old son, Evander Daniels, who died in foster care in June.

Brenda Dubois was a speaker at the rally and says the community has the answers to change the current child welfare system.

She says they are demanding family review panels be established in the form of circles, that there be better usage of the “seven-day doorway” to allow for adequate planning with extended families to accept child care responsibilites, and that children placed in foster care be appointed a lawyer.

Social Services Minister June Draude says she empathizes with the parents — but an inquiry can’t be done at this time because the foster mother is in court facing charges of negligence.

Draude is also looking forward to the recommendations by the Child Welfare Review panel, which should be out in the next few weeks.