Cindy Blackstock on AFN-Canada Settlement

Dr. Cindy Blackstock is from Gitxsan First Nation in BC and heads the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. She is also a professor at McGill University in the School of Social Work. Cindy and her team won the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case against Canada for racial discrimination against First Nations children in foster care and their families. Despite numerous non-compliance orders and the Federal Court of Canada upholding the decision, Canada has refused to pay the compensation. Since then, Canada and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) negotiated a settlement agreement for a class action against Canada of the same subject matter. However, there are serious concerns about this agreement and whether it will impact the compensation already owed to these children from the CHRT. Cindy joined me on YouTube LIVE to give us an update on where things stand, and help answer the questions and concerns raised by First Nations people on social media. Link to the extended YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvnGuzY7oNw&t=317s The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) website has many resources to help you understand the litigation better. The following link contains the legal submissions made by AFN, Canada and FNCFCS: https://fncaringsociety.com/knowledge-portal/publications-database There is also information about what you can do to help: https://fncaringsociety.com/what-you-can-do You can follow Cindy on Twitter https://twitter.com/cblackst You follow the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society on Twitter as well: https://twitter.com/CaringSociety https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?c=189629 LINK to the YouTube video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXx6GxwF7M4 - - - - - Hi! I'm Dr. Pam Palmater, an Indigenous lawyer, professor, author, and content creator. I create educational videos, podcasts, LIVE events, streams and blogs about Indigenous issues. Focusing on Indigenous current issues and politics, I help explain how state laws, policies, practices, and politics impact Indigenous peoples; as well as provide critical analysis of current issues facing First Nations in Canada and/or Native Americans in the USA. FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK www.tiktok.com/@pampalmater FOLLOW ME ON IG www.instagram.com/pam_palmater/ FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER twitter.com/Pam_Palmater FOLLOW ME ON TWITCH www.twitch.tv/pampalmater FOLLOW ME ON YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/c/pampalmater Please note: Nothing in this podcast/video advocates for conflict on Indigenous territories. Please also note: The information contained in this podcast/video should not be misconstrued as legal, financial or medical advice, nor should it be relied on as such. This podcast/video represents fair political comment. If you would like more information about these issues, you can check out my website at: https://www.pampalmater.com I am also the producer and host of the Warrior Kids Podcast – an award-winning children’s podcast which celebrates everything Indigenous – languages, stories and cool people! https://soundcloud.com/warriorkidspodcast