At the start of the Family Day weekend, the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles First Nation took a stand for their most precious resource 害羞草研究所� their children.

On Friday (Feb. 16), the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles community and their guests gathered at the Charlie Longhouse to celebrate and assert the nation害羞草研究所檚 jurisdiction over child and family services despite the lack of support from Canada害羞草研究所檚 government.

Today, after more than a century of historic disruption, Sts害羞草研究所檃iles is asserting its unbroken and inherent right to care for our children and families according to our own laws and cultural practices,害羞草研究所� Sts害羞草研究所檃iles Chief Ralph Leon (Sah-ahkw) stated on Friday. 害羞草研究所淥ur children are our most precious resource, and by assuming responsibility for their care, we are ensuring that they grow up with the love, support and connection to their culture that they deserve.害羞草研究所�

RELATED:

After three years of negotiation, the ceremony was initially intended to be a ceremonial signing of a coordination agreement with the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles nation and the federal and provincial governments. However, the month before this ceremony, the federal government reneged on the commitment to meet their deadlines for finalizing the agreement.

Sts害羞草研究所檃iles Grand Chief Chasta Willie Charlie (Cha害羞草研究所檘ua害羞草研究所檞et) 害羞草研究所� the chief negotiator for the community 害羞草研究所� said the community is 害羞草研究所渆xtremely disappointed害羞草研究所� in the government害羞草研究所檚 decision.

害羞草研究所淭his leaves Sts害羞草研究所檃iles drastically underfunded and forces us to self-fund our child and family services without federal government support,害羞草研究所� Charlie stated.

Last April, the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles officials brought into force Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts害羞草研究所檃iles, or 害羞草研究所淪ts害羞草研究所檃iles Child and Family Services Law,害羞草研究所� which covered Sts害羞草研究所檃iles children living on reserve. Following Friday害羞草研究所檚 ceremony, the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles law extends coverage to all Sts害羞草研究所檃iles children across the province, effective April 1.

Jenny Lloyd, executive director of Indigenous Agreements with the Ministry of Child and Family Development said the province is fully committed to supporting Sts害羞草研究所檃iles in their efforts.

RELATED:

害羞草研究所淚 liked that we were challenged, especially by the youth council, to work harder and to put everything we害羞草研究所檝e got into this,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd that害羞草研究所檚 the commitment of MCFD.害羞草研究所�

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak delivered a video address congratulating the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles community.

害羞草研究所淎lthough we害羞草研究所檝e never given up jurisdiction over our children, other colonial systems have always tried to suppress our people and tried to suppress our ways of keeping our families together,害羞草研究所� Nepinak said. 害羞草研究所淎ll levels of government have to work with First Nations people if they害羞草研究所檙e going to get this right. I look forward to all of you being a driving force and showing the rest of the country how to do child welfare laws, how to bring your children home, how to put broken families back together again.害羞草研究所�

Representatives from the Seabird Island and Sq害羞草研究所櫭﹚lets First Nations were also present at the ceremony.