NATUASHISH, NL – Innu leaders say that the proposed Bill C-92 on First Nations child and family services, introduced yesterday in federal Parliament, is missing a core element: it has no terms on federal funding. “It’s almost beyond belief that the federal government would finally bring in legislation on First Nations child welfare, but not include any provisions to address funding. It’s irresponsible. Funding issues have led to decades of crisis for our families, years of litigation, and countless meetings. Our children need predictable, non-discriminatory funding they can rely on year after year,” said Innu Nation Grand Chief Gregory Rich. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that federal funding must ensure all First Nations child and family services reach the standard of substantive equality, and it held that the funding to date has been woefully inadequate and discriminatory. Bill C92 ignores this ruling and does not set out any terms on federal funding. Instead, federal funding for First Nations child and family services would remain discretionary and ungoverned by any statutory terms. Bill C-92 also provides a route to the exercise of First Nations jurisdiction. However, federal fiscal policies on own source revenues and other issues present a major obstacle to actually exercising self-government. Innu leaders say that exercising jurisdiction will not be feasible absent clear terms on funding. “The jurisdiction piece is not realistic without a legislated funding piece to go with it,” said Deputy Grand Chief Etienne Rich, “It may sound nice, but it’s an empty promise.” Innu leadership encouraged the Trudeau government to amend the bill. “I’m calling on this government to fix this major issue in the bill right away. The legal standard set out by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal needs to be in there, in the legislation,” said Grand Chief Rich. “Haggling over services for our children has to stop.”
