Yesterday, at a Special Chiefs Assembly hosted by the Assembly of First Nations, First Nations leaders adopted a resolution rejecting the $47.8 billion Final Agreement on the Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, instructing the Assembly to take a new approach to negotiate a different final agreement.
Despite the support for the Final Agreement from the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation and the Chiefs of Ontario on October 9th and 10th respectively, the Chiefs-in-Assembly have rejected this historic Agreement that was created through extensive negotiations between Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe-Aski Nation. This Agreement would have legally bound Canada to provide $47.8 billion in stable and predictable funding over 10 years for a fully reformed Program that would reduce the number of First Nations children in care and keep children connected to their families, communities, and cultures.
Canada has made every effort to reach a fair, equitable and comprehensive resolution outside of litigation, including securing unprecedented levels of funding.
In response to the 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Decision, Canada has made significant investments toward reforming the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, including implementing key provisions of the Agreement-in-Principle that were supported by previous AFN resolutions. This includes increasing program funding from $680 million in 2015-16 to over $3.8 billion in 2023-24, and has committed $8.1 billion to date towards meeting the needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle.
The shared goal of reform work is to address the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's orders and improve the lives and outcomes of First Nations children and families living on-reserve and in the Yukon by reducing the number of First Nations children in care and ensuring that children can remain connected to their families, communities and cultures. Canada will review the resolutions and determine next steps.
