Bill C-92 Community Engagement Project
“Reclaiming the Sacred Balance, Restoring Wahkotowin-Ehlelot’ina”
On March 5th, 2020 KTC Leadership passed a resolution supporting KTC First Nations unified response to Bill C-92, an Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families. Unanimous support was provided by the Chiefs in attendance, authorizing and mandating KTC to develop a child and family services law under the Act based on KTC First Nations languages, customs, traditions and values to replace existing Manitoba child welfare laws, regulations and standards (link to resolution is a the end of this page).
The purpose of the C. 24 Project is to engage with members of the KTC Nations throughout the family law creation process to ensure traditional, cultural and community values and practices are considered and reflected in the new law.
Keewatin Tribal Council Project Goals
- Affirm the jurisdiction and legislative authority of the Keewatin Tribal Council Nations over Child and Family Services for their members.
- To establish a KTC CFS Governing Body.
- To develop a CFS Law, policies, procedure and outline of practices that are reflective of the KTC communities.
- To ensure that the distinct Dene and Ininew Nations are recognized within the legislation.
- To ensure the traditional laws of KTC Nations are recognized and included within the law.
C. 24 (Bill C-92) An Act Respecting First Nation, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families.
- The purpose of this Act is to:
- affirm the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services;
- establish national principles such as best interests of the child, cultural continuity and substantive equality to guide the provision of child and family services in relation to Indigenous children; and
- contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- The Act provides an opportunity for Indigenous peoples to choose their own solutions for their children and families.
- Ensures:
- the application of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to an Indigenous governing body in its exercise of jurisdiction in relation to child and family services on behalf of an Indigenous group, community, or people.
The Need for Reform
- Manitoba has the highest percentage of children in foster care in Canada (2%, or quadruple the national average) (Statistics Canada, 2022a), as well as one of the highest rates in the world (Brownell & das McMurtry, 2015; das McMurtry, 2018).
- The proportion of Indigenous children in care in Manitoba is the highest of the Canadian provinces for which data is available: Of the 9,166 children in care in Manitoba in 2022, 91% of all children in care are Indigenous (Manitoba Minister of Families, 2022).
- Indigenous children in Manitoba represent 22% (0-17 years old) of the overall child population.
- According to Census 2016, Indigenous children represent 52.2% of children in foster care in private homes in Canada, but account for only 7.7% of the overall population of children under 15.