Agreement signed: Natives take back child care

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An historic agreement signed Sept. 9 by Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia, and 13 Aboriginal organizations in the province transferred the care of First Nations children from the Ministry of Children and Families to the Aboriginal community.

The signing took place at the Museum of Anthropology on the grounds of the University of British Columbia.

Grace Elliott-Neilsen of Nanaimo signed as both president of the British Columbia Native friendship centres and vice-president of the provincial Aboriginal Health Council.

Elliott-Nielsen presented Campbell with a hand-woven sacred blanket that is to be brought to all future meetings as a symbol that all those participating will stand by truth and ethics.

Native leaders were both delighted and concerned with the agreement, which commits the provincial government to allow Native leaders to oversee Aboriginal children in care. Although children of Aboriginal ancestry make up only eight per cent of British Columbia's youth, they comprise 40 per cent of about 10,000 children in the government's care. And while that might seem to translate to 40 per cent of funding to the Ministry for Children and Families being transferred to Aboriginal organizations, that will not be the case in light of drastic funding cuts.

"We're going to be looking at a smaller amount of dollars than what was provided to the ministry," Elliott-Nielsen said.

"They (the government) is looking at 20 per cent of total funding and we're saying 37 per cent at the very least."

The money issue is a concern. However, the benefits of transferring care of the children to Aboriginal groups is enormous, Elliott-Nielsen said.

"The Aboriginal community will be administering programs to these children in ways that are culturally and traditionally appropriate. Personally I think it will be difficult, but in the long run it will benefit our people."

At the signing ceremony Premier Campbell said, "We think we're on the right track but we don't want anyone to be under any illusions. This is a framework and a foundation that we can move forward with. There's a lot of work to do."