FSIN asks federal government to drop judicial review of child welfare decision

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is adding their voice to the groups asking the federal government to drop an appeal on a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision. 

In September, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the federal government to pay $40,000 to each Indigenous child removed from their home and placed into care, between January 1, 2006, and a date to be determined by a tribunal.

Two weeks before the federal election, the government announced it would be seeking a judicial review of the decision. 

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron asked for that judicial review to be stopped earlier this week. 

"We don't know why they made the decision to appeal it to begin with," Cameron said. "Appealing the human rights tribunal was a step back." 

Cameron said the tribunal's decision will bring a whole scope of items to First Nations people. 

He said he's been told by Indigenous people that they would use the money to invest in the future of their children and unborn children. 

Cameron said there were lessons to be learned when it came to the way residential school payments were done and he said FSIN is encouraging First Nations people to reach out for guidance in how they can invest for the future. 

"Whether it's for children, when they grow up to become adults, so they have down payments for a home, post-secondary education, any needs that they would need for the future so that would help them succeed in building a better quality of life," Cameron said.