OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations has postponed a special assembly for chiefs to vote on a landmark child welfare reform deal with Canada due to concerns about the process and a late translation of the document to French.
The Assembly was scheduled to be held in September in Winnipeg, but it will not happen now until October or November, the AFN said Tuesday.
In recent weeks, chiefs and advocates have publicly raised concerns about some parts of the agreement, and the fact that a French-language version of the document was made available weeks later. The deal was reached on July 11 and distributed in English the next day, but a French-language version was only released on Aug. 12.
"In the spirit of reconciliation, Canada should not and will not be telling First Nations organizations how to engage their own members," he said.In an interview Tuesday, Woodhouse Nepinak said it's"unfair" for Canada to be blaming the AFN. The Assembly of First Nations represents some 630 First Nations chiefs across Canada. Largely funded by Ottawa, the assembly helps with federal efforts to consult on legislation that could affect First Nations, and advocates on behalf of chiefs based on resolutions passed at their meetings.
Cindy Blackstock, who heads the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and helped bring forward the initial complaint to the tribunal, has been raising concerns around some clauses in the agreement, including one that instructs the parties to publicly promote and defend it — something she says is not consultation.
Asked if she would do so, Woodhouse Nepinak said"absolutely," adding that it's important for her to listen to chiefs and what they want.
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