“Canada can do better job for First Nations kids”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau believes that more must be done to improve the lives of young people in First Nations communities, however he refused to acknowledge an outstanding human rights decision that his government has yet to honour.

“No government has done more to repair the relationship with indigenous Canadians, said Prime Minister Trudeau, who has indeed made a more conciliatory approach on aboriginal issues a cornerstone of his political identity.

“We need to do a better job of partnering with the provinces; we need … to do a better job around education, we need to do a better job around child and social services,” he told a news conference in Ottawa. “No government in history has done more for repairing the relationship with indigenous Canadians and indeed investing in positive outcomes for indigenous Canadians and their communities — $8.4 billion over five years in the last budget,” he added.

The tribunal decision, first issued in January, found that the federal government was discriminating against First Nations children in its delivery of child welfare services on reserves.

The tribunal has twice issued compliance orders — including one as recently as last week — since its initial findings and after the release of the federal budget.

While it can issue legally binding orders, the tribunal lacks any enforcement tools, which is why Blackstock’s group had asked the Canadian Human Rights Commission to register the tribunal’s decision with the Federal Court — a possible precursor to contempt proceedings against the government.The commission is reported to have said that  it wants to see the dispute resolved outside the courts.

Blackstock said the government needs to provide at least $200 million this year for immediately.