Responds to Government Apology for Wrongful Seizure of Children’s Special Allowance
October 8, 2024
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) First Nations Family Advocate Office (FNFAO) acknowledges the formal apology issued by Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine on behalf of the provincial government for the wrongful seizure of the Children’s Special Allowance from First Nations children in care. This apology is a critical step in addressing the long-standing harm caused to some of the most vulnerable citizens of our Nation.
“We welcome the apology from Minister Fontaine, but it is essential that this is not seen as the end of the conversation,” said AMC Acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy.
“For years, the provincial government wrongfully withheld crucial funds meant to support the well-being of First Nations children in care. This added yet another layer of injustice to the systemic oppression our children face within the child welfare system.”
The Children’s Special Allowance, intended to provide financial support directly to children in care, was wrongfully taken by the government, denying thousands of children the resources essential for their growth and future. Last month, the court approval of a $530 million class action settlement marked a significant step toward addressing this injustice by compensating the children who were impacted.
“While this class action settlement will bring some long-overdue financial compensation, we must not lose sight of the broader systemic issues at play,” continued Acting Grand Chief Kennedy. “Our children have been taken from their families and Nations at disproportionate rates, and this exploitation of their financial rights is symptomatic of a system that has failed them for generations.”
The AMC-FNFAO calls on the provincial government to ensure that this apology is followed by meaningful reform to prevent similar injustices in the future. In addition to full restitution through the class action settlement, there must be ongoing efforts to restructure the child welfare system in a way that eliminates discriminatory practices and prioritizes the rights of First Nations children, families, and Nations.
The AMC’s First Nations Family Advocate Office remains dedicated to supporting the families and Nations affected by the wrongful withholding of the Children’s Special Allowance and will be there to support them through the claims process, which is expected to open in early 2025. We will work to ensure that the compensation process for impacted children is fair, just, and accessible.
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For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.
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