Splatsin First Nation signs BC's first child and family services agreement with federal government

The Splatsin First Nation, located in BC’s Shuswap region, has signed a first of its kind agreement that will see the community have more authority over the delivery of child and family services.

Federal and provincial ministers and members of the Splatsin First Nation gathered to ink the first coordination agreement in British Columbia, pursuant to the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit, Métis children, youth and families.

The first nation has been exercising jurisdiction over their own child and family services since 1980, however, they will be provided with $136.2 million over the decade to support work that is grounded in their cultural and family services, says a news release.

Kukpi7 (Chief) Doug Thomas of Splatsin, Patty Hajdu, federal minister of Indigenous services and Mitzi Dean, BC minister of children and family development signed the agreement at a ceremony in Enderby on Friday.

The agreement is described as “historic” and its the first coordinated agreement of its kind in the BC and only the fifth in Canada.

“This high level of responsibility for our children falls not just on the shoulders of leadership, but every Splatsin community member,” said Kukpi7 Thomas.

“It takes a community to raise a child and at Splatsin we do our best to live by those words. I raise my hands up to our community and each and every person involved in caring for our most vulnerable children and youth in the past, present and into the future.”

The agreement will address the coordination of services, the delivery of emergency services, mechanism for First Nations children to exercise their rights and fiscal agreements that are needs-based, sustainable and consistent with the principles of “substantive” equality, adds the news release.

“Splatsin has always known what is best for their children and families, but decades of interference undermined culture, language and family connection,” states Hajdu.

“Today, with Splatsin and the Province of British Columbia, we signed a historic coordination agreement to ensure Splatsin children and families can thrive, surrounded by language, culture and strong supports.”

Dean added that Splatsin said the community has always been caring for their youth and have worked hard over the past 40 years to ensure children, youth and family are connected to their culture, community and laws.

“Today, we have witnessed the culmination of that work with the signing of this agreement,” said Dean.