Within a matter of weeks, the federal government could be making its case in a high-profile Human Rights case, says an activist who brought about the complaint.
Cindy Blackstock filed the claim under the Canadian Human Rights Act on behalf of her employer, Nations Child and Family Caring.
Society of Canada, and the Assembly of First Nations, alleging the federal government discriminates against First Nations children by consistently underfunding child welfare on reserves.
Blackstock says the federal government is currently in hearings at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and says her case will wrap up in the next week or two. Then the federal government can call its witnesses.
“And the tribunal will make a determination as to whether the Canadian government is discriminating currently against First Nations children, and if it finds it is, which I believe it will, then it can order the federal government to stop doing it and ensuring it that kids get treated equally going forward and that’s what we want.”
Blackstock expects the ruling in 2014.