SPECIAL REPORT

An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families: Does Bill C-92 Make the Grade?

On Thursday, February 29, 2019, the federal government introduced Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Métis and Inuit children, youth and families for first reading.

After many years of well-documented discrimination against Indigenous children, there is much hope in this legislative process to reverse this trend, empower Indigenous peoples to reclaim jurisdiction in this area, and ensure the rights of children are affirmed. To realize those hopes, five legal scholars working in the area of Indigenous law have drafted this analysis with the aim to improve the current legislation as it moves through committee and the Senate. They have identified five key areas in the legislation that should be addressed in order to make meaningful change in the lives of Indigenous children and families.

In this report, they share their findings in these areas and the grades (A to F) they have assigned based on how the bill performs in each.

KEY QUESTIONS

How does Bill C-92 perform in the following five key areas that should be addressed in the legislation?
1. National Standards; 2. Funding; 3. Accountability; 4. Jurisdiction; and 5. Data Collection and Reporting

Related Resources

While Canada is presenting Indigenous jurisdiction as the main selling feature of this Bill…without adequate funding, this will simply be jurisdiction to legislate over our own poverty.