“We Can Do Better” Webinar: Draft FSA – Speakers, Presentations, Resources, Q&A’s & Video
“We Can Do Better”: Improving on the Draft Final Settlement Agreement on long-term reform of First Nations Child and Family Services webinar was presented by the foremost experts in the field on September 19, 2024 with participants from coast to coast on Turtle Island (Canada).
- Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, The First Nations Caring Society;
- Mary Teegee, Executive Director, Carrier Sekani Family Services & Chair, Our Children Our Way Society;
- Sarah Clarke, Clarke Child & Family Law, Toronto;
- Scott Smith, Aird & Berlis LLP, Toronto;
- Stephanie Wellman, The First Nations Caring Society; and
- Judy Red Hummingbird Wilson, Knowledge Holder & Advisor, Our Children Our Way Society
Discussion topics included:
- An Overview of the legal process
- Legal standards and human rights in the negotiation process
- Ending Canada’s discrimination
- Self-government and self-determination in the FSA Prevention
- First Nations representative services
- Enforceability
- The Caring Society’s vision of LTR and how we can improve on the FSA
- Governance & regional perspectives
The webinar was offered in English and French languages together with a live Q&A Session.
Presentations (shared in order of video):
- Stephanie Wellman: First Nations Child and Family Services Draft Settlement Agreement – Background
- Scott Smith: Preliminary, high-level review of Final Agreement on Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program
- Sarah Clarke: Draft FSA – What are we trying to fix?
- Cindy Blackstock: We Can Do Better – Improving the Draft Final Settlement Agreement on long-term reform of First Nations Child and Family Services
- Mary Teegee: Our Children Our Way – Reconciliation also includes the whole truth
Resources:
Assembly of First Nations: DRAFT Final Agreement on Long Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program
- English pdf: https://afn.bynder.com/m/5b1f4b4db156231/original/Final-Agreement-on-Long-Term-Reform-of-the-First-Nations-Child-and-Family-Services-Program.pdf
- French pdf: https://afn.bynder.com/m/4ad50b72ca57c1bf/original/-Entente-definitive-sur-la-reforme-a-long-terme.pdf
Caring Society:
- FNCFS Resource page provides overall positions and analysis of various aspects of the agreement, such as governance
- Liability and Prevention Services – Information sheet on potential liability concerns for First Nations re delivery of prevention
- Draft FSA Dispute Resolution Process Infographic – Analysis on key elements of the Dispute Resolution Process found in the Draft FSA
- All the CHRT orders
- Draft FSA Report Card – Evaluation of the Key Elements of the draft Final Settlement Agreement on First Nations Child and Family Services reform
- Draft Final Settlement Agreement on the Long-Term Reform of the FNCFS Program – Suggested reforms from First Nations, agencies, and organizations
- Spirit Bear Plan – First Nations children and families living on reserve and in the Territories receive public services funded by the federal government. Since confederation, these services have fallen significantly short of what other Canadians receive. This injustice needs to end, and Spirit Bear’s Plan will do just that.
Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy
- First Nations Child and Family Services – The Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) is pleased to continue its collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Caring Society, and the National Advisory Committee (NAC) on First Nations child and family services.
Check back soon for Questions & Answers!
Watch the Video on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/0GMLy84rhOk?si=Fx3dXnanhFvUYBZr
Judy Red Hummingbird Wilson closed the webinar with the following reflections and prayer …
“Thank you for the discussions and the truth of forward-looking ways. We can protect our children and serve our children and families in a good way – we can do better!
Creator, we pray that this message, what our presenters spoke about, and that the input and questions that were raised are brought to the larger meeting bodies where they could be deliberated in good way, and that we can find resolutions to these issues.
We pray that our families are at the end of the genocide and discrimination. That the harm that has been caused to our children and families truly does have an ending and not a continuation.
Thank you for all those in the circle, and those that are travelling. We pray for their safety and good keeping, and we also pray for our children and families, that they come home in a good way, that we’re able to take care of them in a good way and support them, and that they live their lives the best way possible.
We thank you again Creator and pray for our beautiful mother earth that nourishes us in so many ways, the water and all of creation, may our prayers work in your connected to the web of life, and that we continue with our knowledge and our teaching, that we can bring that into our families and our homes and our communities.
We pray that we truly come together in a good way and thank you for this Creator. We pray that you take care of our presenters as well. They’re doing all the hard, hard work. We pray to uplift them and give them the continued support, and that they continue to do this work, just as we heard at the Loving Justice conference.
We cannot accomplish this work without love.”
-30-
For further comment, please contact: Mary Teegee, Maaxswxw Gibuu, Chair, Our Children Our Way Society – Phone: 250-612-8710