Saskatchewan’s Advocate for Children and Youth is urging the province to adopt an anti-poverty strategy.
Bob Pringle says poverty lies at the heart of the many issues that put children at risk.
Pringle tabled his annual report today, noting Saskatchewan and B.C. are the only provinces that have not adopted such a strategy.
He says the numbers tell the story, but people don’t seem to be listening:
“I’m just amazed, because we keep saying this, that the public of Saskatchewan isn’t just upset and just enraged about the fact that over two-thirds of our First Nations children are living in poverty.”
Pringle says that leads to a host of other problems including addictions, violence, and mental health issues. He says by the time Social Services becomes involved, it is often too late.
Last year, Pringle’s office investigated 26 deaths of children in the care of Social Services, and 34 incidents of serious injuries.
One of those cases, the beating death of a six-year-old foster child on the Kahkewistahaw First Nation will be the subject of a separate report which will be released shortly.