The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs reaffirms Bringing Our Children Home

in response to the AMR Report Options for Actions

January 27, 2015. Treaty One Territory. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs reaffirms its position on
how to go forward with First Nations child welfare as outlined in Bringing our Children Home Report
that was released September 30, 2014.
This statement is in response to the Government of Manitobas release of AMR Planning & Consulting
report Options for Actions An Implementation report for The Legacy of Phoenix Sinclair: Achieving the
Best for All Our Children. The report, late in its original proposed arrival, was authored and designed
by a hand-picked group of individuals selected by Manitoba. They only attended four First Nation
reserves, with representation of only one southern First Nation.
AMC has not yet had the opportunity to fully review the AMR Report, which we will do in time said
Grand Chief, adding not surprising, it is clear that it does not recognize or propose to involve First
Nations in any meaningful way. Indeed, during the AMR stakeholder engagement, AMC was
intentionally left out and there was marginal engagement of AMC member First Nations. It is thematic
in the report that First Nations have been sidelined with only two out of over 50 options that the
Minister consider including working with First Nations.
On June 11, 2014 the AMC Chiefs-in-Assembly resolved to support Bringing Our Children Home.
Bringing Our Children Home includes keeping children out of formal child and family service care as
well as repatriating children who are in care to their families and assisting all individuals who are and
were impacted by Child and Family Service involvement to regain what was lost. The main areas of
action include:
(1) the establishment of a First Nation Office of the Family Advocate to deal immediately with
requests for advocacy that the First Nation leaders and PTOs are receiving from First Nations
families;
(2) development of a First Nation Model of Care which will strengthen cultural identity, this will
include implementing the First Nation rights of the child for all children in care;
(3) development of a funding model to support prevention, strengthening and reunification of
families, resources must be used in appropriate ways to break the existing cycle to restore
spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being, and
(4) the development of innovative solutions to revitalize original systems of lifelong supports
within and external to the current child and family service system.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak stated we are reaffirming the Bringing Our Children Home Report today
because this is the day that the Manitoba Child and Family Service Minister finally released the report
from her Implementation Team, continuing First Nations continue to advance a whole new approach
that strengthens and reunifies our families, and I look forward to Minister Irvin-Ross implementing

Bringing Our Children Home when she finally decides to act to improve the system for First Nations
children and families.
On October 15, 2014 the AMC and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and Southern Chiefs
Organization leadership signed a historic agreement to work together to begin deconstructing the child
apprehension industry, known as Child & Family Services. In following up on this collaborative action,
AMC drafted and provided a proposal to Minister Irvin-Ross on how to implement Bringing Our
Children Home.
Grand Chief concluded I look forward to Minister Irvin-Ross incorporating AMCs proposal on Bringing
Our Children Home in how she considers the AMR Report. I also have personally invited her to present
to the Chiefs at AMCs Special Chiefs Assembly at Brokenhead Ojibway Nation on February 25, 2015,
and I look forward to how she will involve First Nations going forward.
-30 For more information, please contact: Kayla Frank, kfrank@manitobachiefs.com 204-296-3601.