The Carrier Sekani Family Services is jumping for joy following yesterday’s ruling regarding the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT).
The Federal Government was asked to stop its practice of inadequately funding the costs of child well fare services for Indigenous children and families.
“Before, the federal funding was only to pay for maintenance, and their costs would be covered if they were in care and there wasn’t really cap for that as that’s what would be covered and then there was little funding to do prevention work,” says Mary Teegee, Carrier Sekani Family Services Executive Director.
Thursday’s announcement will also provide a better outcome for First Nations families.
“Being an executive director for our agency and not being able to fully provide those prevention services to keep children with their parents have been heartbreaking and so finally it is a new day and I can’t help but be excited for what’s coming.”
“When you read the ruling it states very clearly that the treasury boards of policies and funding have to be amended federally to make sure discrimination ceases but to also make sure that it doesn’t occur again, so this is any discrimination that in fact, it’s legally-binding and not just recommendations.”
The CHRT ordered the government to provide funding based on the actual costs for prevention-based services including child welfare and to pay back First Nations agencies retroactive to January 26th, 2016.
This is the fifth order against Ottawa since that date.
The CHRT ordered the government to provide funding based on the “actual costs” for prevention-based services including child welfare and to pay back First Nations agencies retroactive to January 26th, 2016.
The government has until May 3rd to identify which First Nations agencies were under-funded.