How First Nations in Alberta are building their own child welfare systems

A trio of northern First Nations expect to be the first Indigenous group to take over child welfare services from the Alberta government — but say their new agency won't be up and running for over a year.

Loon River Cree Nation, Peerless Trout First Nation and Lubicon Lake Band are on track to sign the first agreement in Alberta, and to potentially be the first collective to sign in Canada, said Mona Auger, executive director of KTC Child & Family Services. Its head offices are located in Red Earth Creek, Alta., about 350 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

"It's going to work," Auger said. "I believe that we're going to be able to provide a better service to our own members rather than the provincial system that they put upon us."

In January 2020, new federal law affirmed Indigenous jurisdiction over child intervention services for their own populations.

Since then, Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan and Wabaseemoong Independent Nations in Treaty 3 in Ontario have signed trilateral agreements with the federal government and the provincial governments from which they were taking over.

Dozens of Indigenous communities across Canada have notified the federal government of plans to do the same.

Four notices of intention to exercise this authority had been served to the Alberta government as of July 7. Five requests to enter into a co-ordination agreements had been made.

KTC Child & Family Services already provides child welfare services under provincial law for the three First Nations that are members of the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council.

Eventually, the agency will transition to operating with the authority of Awasak Wiyasiwewin — Cree for "children's law" — once it is enacted, which Auger said is on track to happen in September 2023.

The new law was approved by membership of the three First Nations in a vote last September.

If negotiations weren't going well with the two levels of government, the tribal council could have enacted the law Friday, Auger said, as it marked one year since serving the provincial and federal governments notice. 

Talks with the two governments on fiscal and co-ordination agreements have gone well, however, so they're continuing to work together on the transition, she said.

"We were initially worried about Alberta's position, but they've been supportive of us and working with us and meeting with us regularly," Auger said. 

She added progress continued when Children's Services Minister Matt Jones took over the file in June, after MLA Rebecca Schulz resigned to run for the leadership of the United Conservative Party.