NAN statement on CHRT ruling

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau has issued the following statement in response to today’s ruling by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordering the Government of Canada to pay compensation to First Nation children, youth and families:

“The Tribunal’s ruling that Canada willfully and recklessly discriminated against First Nations children validates the rights of Indigenous youth from coast to coast to coast. It is significant that the Tribunal ordered the government to pay $40,000 to each child, parent and grandparent the maximum allowed under the Canadian Human Rights Act. The federal government is accountable for failing to provide First Nations with the same level of child welfare services as the rest of Canada. We urge the government to acknowledge and accept this decision and fulfill their obligation to come to the table.”

Today’s ruling is the latest in a landmark case filed in 2007 by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations. It follows a 2016 ruling that the government discriminated against First Nations children by under-funding on-reserve child welfare services.

The ruling covers all First Nations children in the on-reserve child welfare system from January 2006 until a date to be determined by the Tribunal.

For more information please contact:
Michael Heintzman,
Director of Communications
Cell: (807) 621-2790
mheintzman@nan.ca