First Nations demand change to Alberta's child intervention system

First Nations leaders are calling on the Alberta government to take a new approach when it comes to dealing with Indigenous children in care.

"It's time to look at something different because obviously the number of aboriginal children coming into care has not gone down," Loiselle Arcand told a specially-appointed ministerial panel examining Alberta's child intervention system.

Arcand, from Alexander First Nation northwest of Edmonton, was one of 12 women from Treaty 6 First Nations across central Alberta and Saskatchewan to address the panel on Monday.

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Aboriginal children placed in care often lose attachment to their culture, leading to a identity crisis when they return to their home communities, Arcand said.

She urged the panel to consider cultural training for those who take children into their care, perhaps even taking orientation at an First Nation community.

People caring for First Nations children should take them to their home communities more often, giving children access to family members, leaders and elders, she said.

"Having that connection to their culture is going to give them more of a sense of identity and we won't see so many youth trying to attempt suicide," Arcand said.

Representatives from Treaty 7 First Nations in Southern Alberta addressed the panel earlier in the day.

Marcia Halfe, of the Tsuu T'ina First Nation near Calgary, said she hoped the panel members understood that change is desperately needed.

"I have a lot of hope that our struggles will be heard and we will have the support to change in terms of having the power and control to make decisions about the lives of our children," she said.

Some speakers described their frustration over the province's inability to make significant changes to the child welfare system, but one panel member reassured them this time would be different.

"As a panel we want to do what is absolutely the best thing we can do to fix the situation," said Maria Fitzpatrick, NDP MLA for Lethbridge-East.

The panel is expected to hand down recommendations on the child death review process some time in April.

It will also spend up to eight months examining the child intervention system as a whole.