ETFO Supports Human Rights Complaint on Behalf of First Nations Children

On February 27, 2007, the Assembly of First Nations [AFN], a political organization representing all First Nations in Canada, and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada [FNCFCS], a national non-profit organization providing services to First Nations child welfare organizations, took the historic step of holding Canada accountable before the Canadian Human Rights Commission for its current treatment of First Nations children.

The complaint alleges that the Government of Canada had a longstanding pattern of providing less government funding for child welfare services to First Nations children on reserves than is provided to non-Aboriginal children.

In October of 2008, the Canadian Human Rights Commission ordered a tribunal to determine whether or not discrimination had occurred pursuant to the Canadian Human Rights Act.

The tribunal will begin hearing witness testimony on November 16, 2009.  In the meantime, AFN and FNCFCS would like you to be a witness by following the case in the media, or by listing your name as a supporter on the campaign website located at http://www.fnwitness.ca. 

In a letter dated October 5, 2009, President Sam Hammond committed ETFO to being a witness to the Canadian Human Rights Commission tribunal hearing on discrimination in the underfunding of First Nations child welfare services. ETFO also appears on the list of organizations supporting the campaign on the 'i am a witness' website.