The child welfare agency in Peguis First Nation recently shared statistics indicating the success of a system established through a significant 2023 agreement, despite the community chief’s call to revoke the “failing” arrangement due to oversight issues. Former Chief Glenn Hudson, who was in office when the agreement was signed, contradicted Chief Dr. Stan Bird’s criticism, stating that the system is functioning well but requires better engagement for oversight.
Chief Bird, alongside Southern Chiefs’ Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, urged for the termination of the agreement, citing concerns about the system not adequately protecting children and families. In 2023, under Hudson’s leadership, Peguis became the first Indigenous community in Manitoba to transfer child welfare authority through a co-ordination agreement with federal and provincial governments, leading to the establishment of Peguis Child and Family Services.
The agreement, made possible by federal Bill C-92, granted Indigenous communities the power to manage local child welfare. Peguis CFS defended the system’s effectiveness in a recent statement, highlighting a significant decrease in the number of children entering care, with the majority now placed in culturally appropriate settings with family or loved ones.
Hudson emphasized the importance of maintaining the agreement for community sovereignty over child welfare decisions, pointing out that Peguis members had ample opportunity to provide input before the agreement was finalized. He also expressed his intention to challenge the results of the previous election, seeking to overturn Chief Bird’s victory.
Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine is set to meet with Chief Bird to address his concerns, as Bird insists on the need for revisions to ensure proper safeguards and accountability in the agreement. He stressed the necessity of independent oversight, similar to the role of the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, in handling grievances and ensuring the well-being of children and families.
While Peguis’s child welfare model has been praised for promoting self-government, concerns about the lack of oversight persist, with calls for enhanced accountability mechanisms. Manitoba Foster Parent Association president Jamie Pfau echoed the need for more oversight and support for kinship and customary care models, expressing solidarity with Chief Bird’s efforts to protect the community’s children and families.
