In 1988 the Manitoba Government launched a Public Inquiry into the Administration of Justice and Aboriginal People, commonly known as the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (AJI). The mandate of this Inquiry was to examine the relationship between Indigenous people and the justice system, and to suggest ways it might be improved.

The first line in the introduction states, “The justice system has failed Manitoba’s Aboriginal people on a massive scale.” The report also documented many grave problems in Manitoba’s Child and Family Services system.

The report noted, “Aboriginal people appearing before this Inquiry have repeatedly expressed their concern that any overhaul of the justice system in Manitoba must also include a re-examination of the “child welfare system”. The report also recommended that “Aboriginal people must have more control over the ways in which their children are raised, taught and protected.” Implementing this recommendation would require a major restructuring of Manitoba’s Child Welfare System.

See the report here.

In late November 1999 the Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission was created to develop an action plan based on the original Aboriginal Justice Inquiry recommendations.

Only months later, on February 22, 2000 The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) and the Province of Manitoba signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which would lead to the creation of a child and family services system for Métis people throughout Manitoba.

The agreement recognized that Métis People were entitled to develop effective, community-based, child and family services which reflect our unique Indigenous status, as well as our cultural and linguistic heritage.

Learn more about the commission here.

The establishment of a Métis-specific child and family services agency had been a longstanding dream within the Métis community. Therefore, it was with great excitement and enthusiasm that the Métis Child, Family and Community Services Agency received the formal mandate from the Province of Manitoba to deliver child and family services province-wide on September 13, 2003.

AJI-CWI: www.aji-cwi.mb.ca

Following this, the Child and Family Services Authorities Act was proclaimed on November 24, 2003, which led to the creation of the Métis Child and Family Services Authority, which oversaw the Agency.

In 2011, Michif Child and Family Services Agency was established to bring a greater focus and range of services to families in northern Manitoba.

Work began this fiscal year to change the geographic boundaries serviced by our two agencies. Métis Child, Family and Community Services has more than double the case load that is defined by the Provincial Government as a “large” agency. To alleviate the strain on our large agency and to secure the case status of Michif Child and Family Services Agency, cases carried out of MCFCS’s Brandon and Portage La Prairie offices will move to Michif CFS Agency over the next fiscal year as a new geographic boundary is drawn.

On April 14, 2016, the Provincial Government rendered its decision on Daniels v. Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the federal government has a constitutional jurisdiction and responsibility of the Métis Nation. It clarifies the terms of x.91(24) of the Constitution Act 1867, and places a clear duty upon the federal government to negotiate with the Manitoba Métis Federation, the democratically elected representative government of the Métis Nation’s Manitoba Métis Community. With this decision, the federal government can no longer point to the provinces as being solely responsible to address the deep-seated social and economic issues of the Métis Nation.

The community consultations provided Métis citizens from across the province opportunities to provide direct input to their Métis Government and our Métis CFS Authority and its agencies’ management on the issues that affect them as it pertains to current child welfare legislation. Participants were able to speak of their hopes and needs for the future and provide opinions on what they felt should be included in the changes.

On February 28, 2019, the Government introduced Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act). This legislation was co-developed with Indigenous, provincial, and territorial partners with the goal of keeping Indigenous children and youth connected to their families, communities, and culture.

It recognizes a simple truth: one size does not fit all when it comes to Indigenous child and family services. Under Bill C-92, Indigenous communities and groups will be free to develop policies and laws based on their particular histories, cultures, and circumstances. Free to move at their own pace to implement and enforce these policies and laws.

Two weeks into working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Métis CFS Authority issued a directive to our agencies that no youth in the Métis CFS Systems’ care would be turned out during the pandemic. Currently, under Section 50(2) of The Child and Family Services Act, prohibits support for youth beyond the age of 21 years.

The Métis CFS System decided to continue to support youth who were aging out of our system despite contravening the legislation. Any youth in our care, despite legal status, who turns 18 or 21 during the pandemic will continue to receive financial support from the Métis CFS System should they choose continued support from our agencies. I would like to thank the Authority and the Agencies for their continued support to our young adults who were not forced to exit care during a pandemic.