Manitoba First Nation to sign child welfare agreement with Ottawa, province – Winnipeg

Peguis First Nation is set to become the first Indigenous group in Manitoba to take control of child welfare under federal legislation that came into effect three years ago.

The community north of Winnipeg says Patty Hajdu, the federal Indigenous services minister, and Rochelle Squires, the provincial families minister, will be taking part in the signing of a coordination agreement between the three governments.

The First Nation is one of just over two dozen communities that have notified Indigenous Services Canada that it intends to handle its own child and family services, as outlined in the federal Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families.

Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan was the first group in Canada to take over child welfare in July 2021.

Peguis had its own laws come into effect one year ago after the community notified Ottawa the previous year, but the province did not sign on at the time.

This would be the first time Manitoba has signed such an agreement after it previously expressed concerns over the legislation.

2:09
Lawsuit seeks compensation for First Nations child welfare, end to apprehensions