Chiefs gather to vote on landmark $47.8B child welfare reform agreement with Canada

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is encouraging chiefs to support a historic child welfare agreement, stating that she believes a better deal would be unlikely under a different federal government.

First Nations chiefs are convening in Calgary today to prepare for a vote on a $47.8 billion child welfare reform agreement with Ottawa.

This agreement was reached in July between Canada, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and the Assembly of First Nations after nearly two decades of legal battles over the underfunding of on-reserve child welfare services.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal deemed this underfunding discriminatory and mandated Canada to negotiate a reform agreement with First Nations, alongside compensation for children who were removed from their families and placed in foster care.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak acknowledged that there are some shortcomings in the agreement but urged chiefs to vote in favor of it to ensure its implementation before the next federal election.

Woodhouse Nepinak mentioned that she has attempted to establish communication with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but she cannot guarantee that a better deal could be negotiated with him given his party's history on Indigenous issues and its commitment to reduce spending.

Last week, chiefs in Ontario expressed their support for the agreement, but the AFN is set to discuss three resolutions this week that call for the deal to be rejected or renegotiated.

Concerns have been raised by chiefs since before July regarding the secrecy of the negotiation process, while experts have pointed out that the agreement falls short of ensuring that Canada’s discrimination will not happen again.

The AFN’s special assembly will continue until Friday, with chiefs expected to cast their votes on the deal on Thursday.