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OTTAWA – Three regional chiefs representing nearly half of First Nations say a national association is going beyond its mandate by making decisions that will directly affect children and families without consent.
They also accuse the Assembly of First Nations of trying to push aside an organization that is partly responsible for realizing a $40 billion settlement to tackle the issue.
The chiefs, who represent First Nations in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec-Labrador, said in a letter to the national chief that the organization is not transparent in its negotiations for a final settlement agreement with Canada on child and family services the First Nations.
Chiefs Bobby Cameron, Terry Teegee and Ghislain Picard also said in the letter that the AFN’s legal counsel is trying to exclude the First Nations Family and Child Care Association from the process altogether.
The two organizations jointly launched a human rights complaint about Ottawa’s chronic underfunding of contingency child welfare services.
Half of the settlement money was earmarked for long-term reforms to the child welfare system across Canada.
But the three chiefs told national chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak in their letter that the AFN has not shared details with First Nations outside of Ontario.
The Assembly of First Nations represents approximately 630 First Nations chiefs across Canada, including Cameron, Teegee and Picard. Funded primarily by Ottawa, the assembly helps with federal efforts to consult on legislation that may affect First Nations, and advocates on behalf of chiefs based on decisions passed at their meetings.
Cameron, Teegee and Picard said the assembly has refused to call meetings on the negotiations since February, and has set a remit that interferes with an independent expert advisory committee responsible for developing and implementing a work plan to reform Indigenous Services. Canada.
As a result, they said, Canada is now ready to fund the advisory committee for activities that the assembly authorizes.
The federal government did not immediately respond to questions about the matter.
The chiefs call on the AFN to respect the free, prior and informed consent of the First Nations by including regional representation in negotiations, and to immediately disclose the draft final settlement agreement, the status of the negotiations and all supporting materials to’ r First Nations.
They are also calling on the AFN to support the work of the First Nations Child and Family Care Association.
In a letter of response to the three bosses, Woodhouse Nepinak called several of their claims incorrect, and said that although they may disagree with how negotiations have been developing, attacking employees and legal counsel “is not helpful.”
“The last minute attempt by your offices to disrupt this initiative is not consistent with the general mandate of the AFN,” he wrote.
“The final settlement agreement will be put before First Nations chiefs across Canada, who will decide whether the series of suggested amendments are acceptable.”
Woodhouse Nepinak wrote that negotiations are “fluid and constantly evolving,” and since they are being conducted under settlement privilege, it would be “irresponsible” to communicate the issues before reaching an agreement.
He added that while the assembly appreciates that the regional chiefs fully support the Careful Society, the assembly cannot “delegate” responsibility to “an organization that has no accountability to First Nations.”
Cindy Blackstock, head of the Caring Association, said in an interview on Monday that she and her organization were acting on decisions passed by headteachers in the assembly, and that the concerns raised in the letter from headteachers “are worth listen to them.”
“I believe in transparency. I believe in listening to people on the ground who are actually doing the work,” he said.
“And I really strongly believe that First Nations have the information they need to give free prior informed consent to anything we do nationally.”
As for the tension between the Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations, Blackstock said he was “regrettable”.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on June 24, 2024.
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