First Nations vote down resolution to endorse $47.8B child welfare reform offer

First Nations chiefs and proxies from across Canada voted down a resolution to fully accept a settlement agreement on long-term reform of First Nations child and family services.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is hosting a special three-day meeting in Calgary, in a bid to secure national support for the $47.8 billion agreement reached with Canada in July. 

Following two days of hearing varying perspectives on the proposed deal, chiefs held a lengthy debate on a resolution titled "Our Children, Our Future — Draft Agreement on reforming the First Nations Child and Family Services Program." It called to fully support and approve the final settlement agreement, and to support the AFN in seeking an order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal confirming that it fully satisfies its orders.

When the resolution was defeated, the room erupted in applause, with 267 chiefs and proxies voting in opposition. There were 147 votes in favour, with one abstention.

Khelsilem, spokesperson for the Squamish Nation in B.C., was among many leaders to speak against the resolution.

"I'm here to ask the chiefs and proxies who are undecided, who are unsure, to vote down this resolution. No amendments to this resolution will clean up the fact that the first line in the resolution calls for the approval of the amended FSA," said Khelsilem, referring to the final settlement agreement.

"We need to say no to this version of the FSA. The reason why is because there are so many flaws with the FSA. we've heard that over the last few days."

The chiefs were facing competing resolutions to endorse the reform deal or to reject it until changes are made. A separate resolution to delay the decision for 90 days was withdrawn and elements were incorporated into other amended resolutions.

The vote comes after chiefs heard two days of varying perspectives on a proposed settlement agreement.

"This is your agreement to consider and I will take whatever direction you give me," National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak told the chiefs in attendance.

"But I do say, let's try and come together and find a common way through this because it's too much money to just wipe off the table and leave to the courts."

The agreement aims to reform more than three decades of discriminatory Canadian child welfare policies which led to more First Nations children being taken into government custody than at the height of the residential school system. 

The offer stems from a class-action lawsuit and a 2016 ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that found Canada engaged in wilful and reckless discrimination against First Nations children and families on reserve and in Yukon by failing to provide them with the same level of child and family services provided elsewhere.