Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs First Nations Child and Family Matters - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

First Nations Child and Family Matters

Presentation for the AMC 30th Annual General Assembly July 18-19, 2018

Expanded AMC Women’s Council Mandate and Grandmother’s Council

2 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• April 2017 Chiefs Assembly on CFS.
• AMC Women’s Council received expanded mandate.
• AMC Constitution amended to include change First Nations

Women’s Committee to Women’s Council and to include a Grandmothers Council.

• Women’s Council working closely with Advocate Office on

Child and Family Matters File.

• Grandmothers’ Council membership and Terms of

Reference being developed.

Child and Family Matters Mandates

3 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• Chiefs-in-Assembly trusted us with their important work.
• Taking grassroots citizens’ voices to Ottawa.
• Move on long-standing AMC mandates.
• Encourage and protect teamwork.
• Our children are waiting for us to find solutions.

Keewaywin Engagement

4 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• Keewaywin Engagement: Manitoba

First Nations Child and Family Services Reform began in December 2016.

• Engagement in partnership with

Canada as part of Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling to reform the First Nations CFS program.

• 23 community engagements, several

town halls to hear from grassroots about First Nation-led reform

• ptions.
• Recommendations inform and guide
• ur work today.

Federal and Provincial Government Reform Plans

5 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• Federal and provincial governments release their

intentions for child welfare reform.

• Federal government’s reform plans align with historic and

present AMC resolutions to see First Nations’ jurisdiction

• ver child and family matters realized.
• Provincial government’s child welfare reform plans

required numerous measured responses to ensure we were informed about implications of reform plans in our lives.

AMC-Canada Memorandum of Understanding on Child Welfare

6 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• November 2017, AMC Chiefs-in-Assembly endorsed an MOU
• n Child Welfare between the AMC and Canada.
• AMC Secretariat mandated to develop collaborative agenda,

work plan and budget to transform the child welfare system.

• Continue pursuing long-standing AMC mandates to return

First Nation child welfare jurisdiction to Manitoba First Nations.

• MOU signed on December 7, 2017, in Ottawa, ON.

Federal Government’s Child Welfare Emergency Meeting and Reform Plan

7 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• January 2018, federal government two-day child welfare

emergency meeting; reform plans announced.

• Reform plans support the AMC-Canada MOU on child

welfare.

• Drawing down jurisdiction and exploring the potential to co-

develop federal child welfare legislation.

• Opportunity to develop First Nations system reflective of

traditional laws for child and family welfare.

Southeast CFS Audit

8 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• December 2017 began with plans for a file-by-file audit of

CFS agencies.

• Partnered with Southeast CFS to examine case files and send

children home.

• Many successful family reunifications in a very short time.
• Audit work continues in 2018 with Southeast CFS and other

potential agencies.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada

9 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• January 2018, First Nations Family Advocate met with the

OAG of Canada to inform CFS reform.

• Reform must include voices of those affected by system

flaws.

• OAG commitment that our voices have been heard.
• OAG met with families in Sharing Circle.
• Families successfully reunited bravely and honestly shared

about their struggles with CFS system.

Emergency Meeting on Child Welfare

10 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• March 2018, Chiefs’ two-day

emergency meeting on CFS a response to province’s unilateral reform initiatives.

• Setting the Foundation for Change: A

Strategy Towards First Nations’ Jurisdiction of Child Welfare in Manitoba and a draft MOU work plan.

• Declaration of Principles on Inherent

Sovereignty and Responsibility Over Our Own Children—a collective position that advances First Nations’ jurisdiction in the area of children and families.

Manitoba Chiefs’ Vision

11 Child and Family Matters Update 30th AMC AGA

• Manitoba’s CFS system must undergo deep changes.
• First Nations’ best interests must take precedence amidst

provincial and federal government CFS reform plans.

• Vision of the Manitoba Chiefs to Bring Our Children Home

included the creation of the First Nations Family Advocate Office.

• Advocate Office is a one-of-a-kind organization that

represents grassroots voice.

• Advocate Office has important role in continuing to make

sure grassroots’ voice truly represented.