The director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society says she’s elated by yesterday’s ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal.
The court ruled against the federal government which has been petitioning for the withdrawal of a hearing on the examination of the funding of on-reserve child-welfare agencies currently being heard by the Human Rights Tribunal.
Cindy Blackstock is the director of the FNCFCS and she says is clear the federal government is under funding child welfare on First Nations.
She adds the federal government has spent $3 million dollars in its efforts to keep the case from being heard by the Human Rights Tribunal.
Blackstock notes these stalling efforts have largely failed and the tribunal began a hearing into the complaint at the end of February.
However, she expects Ottawa to continue fighting the case.
The government has 60 days to file an appeal.
Blackstock says having the case heard by a tribunal is extremely important because it has the power to make a legal determination of discrimination.