Assembly of First Nations to file human rights complaint

Tuesday, February 6, 2007  

The Assembly of First Nations plans to file a human rights complaint against the government of Canada over the treatment of Native children in the child welfare system.

AFN says one in 10 Native children is in foster care, compared to one in 200 non-Native children. Yet First Nations child welfare agencies receive 22 percent less funding, AFN says.

"Our children need action now, so I am announcing today that we are putting governments on notice that a lack of action should be viewed as putting children at risk," said AFN Chief Phil Fontaine.

AFN says an additional $109 million is needed. A complaint will be filed with the Canadian Human Rights Commission later this month.

Get the Story:
Natives to hit Ottawa with rights complaint (The Globe and Mail 2/6)
Aboriginal group to file human rights complaint against Ottawa (CBC 2/5)
AFN threatens human rights complaint over child care (CanWest News Service 2/6)

Relevant Links:
Assembly of First Nations - http://www.afn.ca
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap

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