NDP commemorates 10th anniversary of human rights complaint on First Nations child services

Romeo Saganash, NDP critic for Indigenous affairs, made the following statement:

“Ten years ago today, the AFN and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada filed the human rights complaint that ultimately found the federal government racially discriminating against 163 000 First Nations’ children.

Unfortunately, this legal battle is far from over as this government, despite a unanimous vote in the House of Commons and two non-compliance orders, is still not complying with the Human Rights tribunal ruling.

In 2016, the government did very little to respond to the Human Rights Tribunal’s decision. We therefore repeat our call on the Liberal government to immediately comply with the tribunal ruling and invest the $155 million needed to stop the discrimination in the 2017 Federal Budget.

To use Cindy Blackstock’s words, First Nations kids only get one childhood and 10 years is too long to wait for equity in federal government services. Let’s not waste away any more of our kids’ childhoods.”