NISHNAWBE ASKI NATION (NAN) AND CHIEFS OF ONTARIO (COO) ANNOUNCE THEIR INTENTION TO NEGOTIATE AN ONTARIO SPECIFIC CHILD WELFARE DEAL WITH CANADA
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Posted by Shelby Percival
- Posted in BlogsNews
On Tuesday January 7th, 2025, NAN, COO, and Canada announced they will continue to work as partners for transformative change on the long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program.
As a result of NAN’s continued advocacy, these negotiations reflect a significant step toward fairness in funding and improving services to care for children, youth, and families in NAN communities and the rest of Ontario. This regionally specific agreement is distinguished from the previously proposed Final Agreement reached in July 2024 that would have legally bound Canada to provide $47.8 billion in stable and predictable funding over ten (10) years for a fully reformed Program.
Julian Falconer, Meaghan Daniel, Jordan Tully, and David Schwartz of Falconers LLP are honoured to be a part of the negotiations team for NAN in their efforts to achieve real systemic change for remote Indigenous communities in respect of the child welfare system.
Media Coverage:
- Canada News Release (Jan. 7, 2025) – “Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and Canada to negotiate a Final Agreement putting children and families first”
- AFN News Release (Jan. 7, 2025) – “National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak Responds to Canada’s Decision on the Long-Term Reform of First Nations Child Welfare”
- Karyn Pugliese, APTN News (Jan. 8, 2025) – “Why chiefs in Ontario are the only ones getting an agreement on reforming child welfare”
- Tanya Talaga, The Globe and Mail (Jan. 8, 2025) – “The end of Justin Trudeau doesn’t mean the end of important work – including child welfare reform”
