ottawa –
The national president of the Assembly of First Nations is calling on chiefs to vote in favor of a landmark child welfare agreement, saying he doesn’t think a better deal would be possible under another federal government.
First Nations chiefs are gathering in Calgary today as they prepare to vote on a $47.8 billion child welfare reform agreement with Ottawa.
The agreement was signed in July between Canada, the premiers of Ontario, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Assembly of First Nations after nearly two decades of legal battles over insufficient funding for child welfare services in Canada.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal said this was discriminatory and ordered Canada to reach agreements with First Nations to reform the system, as well as compensate children who have been separated from their families and placed in foster care.
Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says the deal has some shortcomings, but is calling on chiefs to vote in favor of the deal so it comes into force before the next federal election.
Woodhouse-Nepinak has been trying to build bridges with Conservative Party leader Pierre Poièvre, but questions whether a better deal can be reached with the party given its track record on Indigenous issues and pledges to cut spending. says that it cannot be guaranteed.
Ontario’s premiers voted to uphold the agreement last week, but AFN will debate three resolutions this week calling for it to be scrapped or renegotiated.
Mayors have expressed concerns since before July that the deal was being negotiated in secret, but experts say the deal is strong enough to ensure Canada’s discrimination never happens again. It points out that it is not.
The AFN’s special session continues until Friday, and leaders are expected to vote on the proposed agreement on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
