Utoo Radio With Other News Sources - January 13, 2025 - First Nations leaders are urging Canada to reconsider its decision not to renew national negotiations on a $47.8-billion proposal to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, after chiefs rejected the offer last fall.

Instead, Canada aims to carve out a region-specific standalone deal with Chiefs of Ontario (COO) and Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), which helped negotiate the agreement and were the only groups to fully endorse it.

This decision has led to feelings of punishment for chiefs elsewhere, as they feel they are being punished for not toeing the line.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in 2016 that the government racially discriminated against First Nations kids by underfunding the child welfare system in their communities and refusing to respect Jordan's Principle.

Canada put the potentially historic settlement offer on the table to fulfill a binding order from the tribunal.

However, Ottawa's legal counsel wrote in a Jan. 6 letter to the AFN that Canada's mandate does not permit further negotiations on a national basis, nor negotiations with anyone other than COO and NAN, "at this time."

The next option for First Nations is litigation, which would be disappointing as it would be the last resort.