Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse was in Saskatchewan this week conducting engagement sessions on a $47.8 billion child welfare reform settlement.
The AFN secured the commitment from the federal government in July, to be paid out over ten years.
The offer stems from a 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that found Canada discriminated against First Nations children and families by failing to provide them the same level of services provided elsewhere.
A settlement of $23 billion in compensation for the historical wrong was agreed upon last year with the additional funding added to help reform the child welfare system going forward.
AFN National Chief is now traveling around the country meeting with First Nations leaders and discussing whether chiefs want to accept the settlement.
This week was her stop in Saskatchewan.
Woodhouse says these have been difficult, but important discussion.
“It’s a sensitive and tough issue that is hurtful to many families, and everybody has opinions of course,” Woodhouse told MBC Radio News. “Where do we go from here? Do we accept this? Do we not accept this? What’s the alternative? Right now I don’t see one.”
She says the child welfare system for First Nations has been broken for so long it is time for a change.
“It’s a broken system that is not working, and we ask for everybody to partner together and to work together and find the best solutions and make this a better system, a system that is family centred with First Nations first.”
While National Chief Woodhouse has made it clear she feels the settlement will be good for First Nations, she says it is up to First Nation chiefs in the country to ultimately approve the settlement.
“This is the chiefs agreement, this is their money to decide what they want to do with it and I am going to leave it up to them to decide that. First Nations are in control, not anybody else.”
The settlement will most likely be the subject of a ratification vote at an AFN Special Chiefs Assembly beginning in Winnipeg on September 17.
(Top Photo: Cindy Woodhouse takes her oath as AFN National Chief in December, 2023)