The chief of a Manitoba First Nation is calling for the end to a coordination agreement that governs child and family services in his community. On Friday, Chief Stanley Bird announced that he wants the Peguis Child and Family Services Coordination Agreement to be terminated, saying that the agreement has failed. “Instead of helping, it has created a system that is failing at every level,” said Chief Bird. “There’s no accountability and there’s no transparency.” The agreement was signed by Peguis First Nation, the CFS Agency and the Governments of Canada and Manitoba in January 2023 under federal Bill C-92. Under the agreement, Peguis gained jurisdiction over child welfare services, including intake, child abuse investigations, after-hour services and early intervention services for members living on and off reserve. The agreement also included a three-year, $319 million commitment from the federal government to fund child and family services. Now, just shy of three years since it was signed, Chief Bird said it has created a system with no independent oversight, appeal process or quality assurance. “Every day I worry that something terrible will happen,” he said. “Every day the calls keep coming in and my fear grows. Peguis families and children deserve the same protection as every other family or child in Manitoba and across Canada.” While Bill C-92 allows Indigenous governments to assume control of child welfare, the agreements are not required to include independent oversight, complaint mechanisms and access to the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth. CTV News has reached out to CFS and the federal and provincial governments and is awaiting a response. -With files from The Canadian Press
