Call Made for Return to All-Native ICFS Board

Call Made for Return to All-Native ICFS Board

Thursday, December 09, 2004 at 13:28

A recent decision by the Battlefords Tribal Council to replace the board of directors of its child and family services wing continues to ruffle feathers.

Just last week, approximately fifty people protested the move at a rally in North Battleford, and now, a councillor from the Sweetgrass First Nation is doing the same.

Lawrence Paskemin says it’s not proper for the BTC to act so independently in matters concerning the band’s children.

And he is very unhappy about the fact his calls to the tribal council have gone unreturned.

Paskemin also says no one from his band OK’d the move to dissolve the old board and replace them with five workers who are non-native.

He says this last point has become a bone of contention for many on his reserve who feel their children’s interests should be handled by First Nations citizens.