OTTAWA — The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is urging chiefs to vote in favour of a landmark child welfare deal, saying she doesn't think a better agreement would be possible under a different federal government.
Some chiefs, meanwhile, are campaigning to vote down the $47.8-billion child welfare reform agreement at an assembly in Calgary this week.
The deal was struck in July between Canada, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Assembly of First Nations after a nearly two-decade legal fight over Canada's underfunding of on-reserve child welfare services.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal said that was discriminatory and tasked Canada with coming to an agreement with First Nations to reform the system, along with compensating children who were torn from their families and put in foster care.
Speaking to chiefs on the first day of the assembly Wednesday, AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said there are some shortfalls in the agreement, but urged the chiefs to vote for the deal so it is in place before the next federal election.
Woodhouse Nepinak said she's tried to build bridges with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but she can't guarantee a better deal could be reached with him based on that party's record on Indigenous issues and its promise to cut spending.
"You don't have to be a political scientist to figure out that there's a good chance we will be with a different government sooner than later," she said to chiefs and delegates.
"What the Conservative leader has said is that he won't cut into programs that are already in place for Canadians. Based on that, I say let's get this program in place before the next election."
Woodhouse Nepinak has previously commented on the political risks of not accepting the deal, including when she announced it to chiefs in a closed-door meeting in July.
Chiefs in Ontario voted in support of the agreement last week, but the AFN special assembly is set to discuss three resolutions this week calling for the deal to be struck down or renegotiated.
Before the deal was announced in July some chiefs raised concerns that it had been negotiated in secret. Some child welfare experts have also said the deal doesn't go far enough to ensure Canada's discrimination never happens again.
The Squamish Nation said Wednesday its concerns about the deal have been ignored by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations.
In an Aug. 12 letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu and Woodhouse Nepinak, the Squamish Nation said the agreement won't address the systemic discrimination identified by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
"We firmly believe that Canada must discharge its duty to consult First Nations on the draft agreement before any decision is made, as the current AFN's engagement, approval process and related timelines do not enable free, prior and informed consent, likely leading to a breach of First Nations rights," said chairperson Khelsilem, who goes by a single name.
"The lack of a response, or if Canada defers to the AFN's proposed engagement process, will force the Squamish Nation to undertake further measures to affirm and safeguard the rights of our children and our Nation."
As of Wednesday, Khelsilem says the Squamish Nation has not received a response from either Canada or the Assembly of First Nations.
Indigenous Services Canada and the Assembly of First Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Khelsilem put forward a resolution at this assembly calling for the vote to be delayed until amendments and changes are made, and for the Assembly of First Nations to include experts at the negotiation table.
Another from the chief of Tobique First Nation calls for another 90 days for chiefs to review the final drafts of the agreement before voting on it.
The special assembly continues until Friday, with chiefs expected to vote on the deal on Thursday.
The Assembly of First Nations says more than 400 chiefs registered for the event, along with 1,900 registered participants.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
