TORONTO — First Nations leaders from across Ontario “spoke loud and clear” in their approval of a child welfare reform agreement with the federal government, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said Wednesday.
A nine-year, $8.5-billion deal for all 133 First Nations across the province was supported by 76 chiefs in a special chiefs assembly in Toronto, with four objections and three abstentions.
“Today is a great day for Ontario First Nations and for all our children,” Fiddler, whose organization represents 49 First Nations across northern Ontario, said in a news conference held by NAN and the Chiefs of Ontario.
“We have been fighting for our children for nearly 20 years,” he said. “And today is a concrete step that stops others from continuing to make decisions for children and families.
“We did this because our children and families deserve better.”
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict said the decision will allow First Nations to end discrimination in their communities and offer better support to families.
The deal will next go to the federal government and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for approval.
Fiddler said that besides the work of First Nations leaders he is “also grateful for my dear friend (Indigenous Services) Minister Patty Hajdu for her commitment to making things better for our children.”
Hajdu, who was present for the announcement, said the agreement moves toward righting past wrongs.
Wednesday’s announcement comes a few months after chiefs at an Assembly of First Nations gathering in Calgary voted to reject a 10-year, $47.8-billion Canada-wide agreement that some said didn’t go far enough toward eliminating discrimination.
The Ontario chiefs have been criticized by First Nations outside the province for negotiating an Ontario-only deal rather than working with others to reach a nationwide agreement.
Benedict acknowledged the criticism at Wednesday’s news conference but added that “our region gave us a clear mandate through Chiefs in Assembly to negotiate a bilateral agreement to end the discrimination (against) our children in this region.”
Fiddler said the chiefs “have achieved groundbreaking results, including an evidence-based process for adjusting funding to account for the increased costs associated with delivering services in remote areas.”
The agreement marks “the beginning of a new day: the start of true, community-driven reform,” Fiddler is quoted as saying in a Chiefs of Ontario news release.